APee 



HISTORY 



UPPER OCTORARA CHURCH 

1720-1870. 



r 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 



DF.I.IVERF.n ON THK (>(M\\SIO\ OF TUB 



ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 






CHESTER DOTINTY. PENNSYLVANIA. 



SEPTI'^MBRR U. 18T(). 



By J. SMITH FUTHEY, Esq, 



WITH AN ACCOUNT OP THE CELEBRATION AND AN APPENDIX. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

HENRY B. ASIIMEAD, BOOK AND JOB PRINTER, 

Nos. 1102 AND 1104 Saxsom Street. 



r 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Succession of Pastors, . 
Order of Exercises, 
Account op the Celebration, 
Correspondence, 
Historical Discourse, . 



7 
9 

15 
10 
21 



appendix. 
A. — Church organization, 1870, . . . . . .151 

B. — List of surnames of the earliest members of the cougre- 

gatioii, . . . . . . . . . .151 

C. — Patent for churcli hinds, . . , . . .152 

D. — Names of pewholders given on a draft of the old church, 153 
E. — List of subscribers to rebuilding of graveyard wall in 

1790, 154 

F. — First call given to Rev. James Latta, . . . .155 

(t. — Charter of, lucorjDoration, . . . . . .156 

H. — List of Trustees, ....... 158 

I. — List of persons buried in the old "New Side" graveyard, 159 
K. — List of persons buried in Upper Octorara graveyard, . 160 
L. — Siirnames of members of conGreaation, 1870. . . 184 



SUCCESSION OF PASTORS 



UPPER OCTORARA CHURCH, 



Rev. Adam Boyd, ordained and installed October 13, 1724; re- 
signed October 19, 1768; died November 23, 1768; jiastor 
forty-four years. 

Hev. Andrew Sterling, ordained and installed over the 2d or 
New Side Congregation, in 1747; deposed April 24, 1765; 
died in August, 176.5; pastor eigliteen years. 

Key. William Foster, ordained and installed over the United 
Congregation, October 10, 1768; died September 30, 178(1; 
pastor nearly twelve years. 

From 1780 to 1*785, the congregsitiou was sii{)i)lied liv Presbv- 
teiy. 

Rev. Alexander Mitchel, installed December 14, 1785; pas- 
toral relation dissolved May 5, 1796; pastor nearly eleven 
years. 

From 1796 to 1810 — fourteen years — the congregation was sup- 
plied by Presbyterj'. 

Rev. James Latta, took chai-ge of the congregation October 1, 
1810; ordained and installed April 2, 1811; pastoral rela- 
tion dissolved October 1, 1850; pastor forty years. 

Rev. James j\[. Crowell, ordained and installed June 3, 1851 ; 
pastoral relation dissolved April 14, 1857; pastor nearly six 
years. 

Rev. Alexander Reed, ordained and installed October 8, 1857; 
pastoral relation dissolved October 20, 18(14; pastor seven 
years. 

Rev. John J. Pomeroy — present pastor — installed Xovembcr 
14, 1865. 



ORDER OF EXERCISES 



CELEBRATION OF THE ISOxn ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 

SEPTEMBER 14, IS 70. 



FORENOON. 



I. Invocation, by Rev. Thomas Love. 

II. Anthem — '• Come Let us Sing." 

III. Reading op Scriptures, Psalm csxii., by Rev. James 
L. Scott. 

IV. Prayer, by Rev. Justus T. Umsted. 
Y. Hymn. 

All people that on earth do dwell, 

Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. 
Him serve with mirth, His praise forth tell, 

Come ye before Him and rejoice. 

Know that the Lord is God indeed. 

Without our aid He did us make ; 
We are His flock, He doth us feed. 

And for His sheep, He doth us take, 

enter then His gates with praise. 

Approach with joy His courts unto ; 
Praise, laud, and bless His name always, 

For it is seemly so to do. 

9 



10 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Because the Lord our God is good, 

His mercy is for ever sure ; 
His truth at all times firmly stood, 

And sliall from age to age endure. 

yi. Historical Discourse, by J. Smith Futhey, Es(|. 
VII. Song, "A Hundred Years to Come." 

Where ! where will be the birds that sing, 

A hundred years to come ? 
The flowers that now in beauty spring, 

A liundred years to come ? 
The rosy lips, the lofty brow, 
The heart that beats so gaily now, 
where will be love's beaming eye, 
Joy's pleasant smile, and sorrow's sigh 

A hundred years to come ? 

"Who'll tread for gain these rural ways, 

A hundred years to come ? 
Who'll fill this church with songs of praise, 

A hundred years to come ? 
Pale, trembling age, and fiery youth. 
And childhood with its heart of truth, 
The rich, the poor, on land and sea. 
Where will the mighty millions be 

A hundred years to come ? 

We all within our graves shall sleep, 

A hundred years to come ? 
No living soul for us will weep, 

A hundred years to come ? 
But other men our lands will till. 
And others then our streets will fill, 
While other birds will sing as gay. 
And bright the sun shine as to-day, 

A hundred years to come? 

VIII. Benediction, by Rev. B. B. Hotchkin. 



OKDER OF EXERCISES. 



11 



AFTERNOON 

I. Anthem. 

II. Prayer, by Rev. E. E. Adams, D.D. 

III. Hymn. 

How did my heart rejoice to hear 

My friends devoutly say, 
" In Sion let us all appear, 

And keep the solemn day." 

I love her gates, I love the road ; 

The church, adorned with grace, 
Stands like a palace built for God, 

To show His milder face. 

Peace be within this sacred place, 

And joy a constant guest ; 
With holy gifts and heavenly grace 

Be her attendants blest. 

My soul shall pray for Sion still, 

While life or breath remains ; 
There my best friends, my kindred dwell, 

There God, my Saviour, reigns. 

IV. Remarks on Presbyterianism, by Rev. Nathan Gritr 
Parke. 

V. Hymn. 

I love Thy kingdom, Lord, 

The house of Thine abode, 
The church our blest Redeemer saved 

With his own precious blood. 

I love Thy church, God ! 

Her walls before Thee stand, 
Dear as the apple of Thine eye. 

And .graven on Thy hand. 

For her mj- tears shall fall, 

For her my prayers ascend, 
To her my cares and toils be given, 

Till toils and cares shall end. 



12 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Beyond my highest joy 

I prize her heavenly ways, 
Her sweet communion, solemn vows, 

Her hymns of love and praise. 

Jesus, Thou Friend divine. 

Our Saviour and our King-, 
Thy hand from every snare and foe 

Shall great deliverance bring. 

Sure as Thy truth shall last, 

To Sion shall be given 
The brightest glories earth can yield, 

And brighter bliss of heaven. 

VI. Personal Reminiscences, by Rev. John L. Withrow and 
Rev. Samuel T. Lowrie. 



VII. Hymn. 



God bless our native land ! 
Firm may she ever stand 

Through storm and night ; 
When the wild tempests rave. 
Ruler of winds and wave. 
Do Thou our country save, 

By Thy great might. 

For her our pray'rs shall rise 
To God above the skies. — 

On Him we wait ; 
Thou who has heard each sigh, 
Watching each weeping eye, 
Be Thou for ever nigh ; 

God save the State. 

Our fathers' God ! to Thee, 
Author of liberty, 

To Thee we slug; 
Long may our land be bright 
With freedom's holy light ; 
Protect us by Thy might, 

Great God our King. 



ORDER OF EXERCISES. lo 

VIII. Pastoral Reminiscences, by Her. James M. Crowell, 
D.D., and Rev. Alexander Reed, D.D. 

IX. DOXOLOGY. 

Glory be to God the Father, 

Glory be to th' eternal Son, 
Glory to the Holy Spirit, 

Hail the blessed Three in One ; 
Hallelujah ! 
Hail the blessed Three in One. 

X. Benediction, by Rev. M. B. Grrier, D.D. 



ACCOUNT OF THE CELEBRATION, 

BY ALFRED P. REID, ESQ. 



At a meeting of tlie Session of Upper Octorara Church, in 
1869, the pastor — Rev. John J. Pomeroy — suggested the pro- 
priety of celebrating the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of 
founding the church. 

The suggestion was at once acted upon, and J. Smith Futhey, 
Esq., of ^est Chester, Pa., a son of the Church, and a gentleman 
noted for his love of antiquarian research, was invited to prepare 
the historical address for the occasion. 

Wednesday, September 14th, 1870, was subsequently fixed upon 
as the day for the celebration. 

It was a beautiful autumnal day; nature seemed in harmony 
with the occasion, and smiled benignantly upon this rural spot, 
among the old oaks, beside the silent resting place of an honored 
ancestry. 

The trustees had recently repaired the church building, re- 
cushioned the pews, and put the graveyard in order at consider- 
able toil and expense. Everything presented a neat and comfort- 
able appearance, and one could cheerfully yield himself up to the 
associations of the past, and the enjoyments of the occasion. 

Although but a limited notice had been given of the Anniver- 
sary, there was such a gathering as these sacred precincts had never 
witnessed. Crowds of people came from far and near, many of 
them had not seen the church for years, some never, but ties of 
affinity and attachment to this venerable pillar of the truth, drew 
them aside from their ordinary avocations to this celebrUtiou. The 



16 URPEK OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

mcetiug house was crowded to overflowing, long before the hour 
for the exercises to begin, arrived. 

Few churches iu our country can trace back their history as far 
as Upper Octorara. It is one of the early landmarks of Presby- 
terianism in our land. 

Within its fold have lived earnest, holy lives, spent in the ser- 
vice of the church. From it have gone oiit men rich in intellectual 
and moral worth, and of exalted aims. IMany streams of blessings 
scattered far and wide, trace their source to this well-spring of 
Zion. Very proud of her history are those who have grown up 
under the shadow of old Octorara Church. 

There came up to this festival many of the clergy, especially of 
the old Presbytery of New Castle, with which the church was so 
long connected. The following were present : — Rev. James M. 
Crowell, D.D., of St. Peters' Church. Rochester, N. Y. ; Rev. 
Alexander Reed, D.D., of the Central Church, Philadelphia, both 
of whom were former pastors of the church ; Rev. John J. Pome- 
roy, its present pastor ; Rev. Thomas Love, one of the oldest living- 
members of New Castle Presbytery; Rev. Alexander Gr. Morrison, 
of Coatesville; Rev. John M. Dickey, D.D., of Oxford; Rev. 
Philip J. Timlow, of Leacock Church, Lancaster County; Rev. 
Ezra E. Adams, D.D., Professor in Lincoln University; Rev. 
Beriah B. Hotchkin, of Marple Church, Delaware County ; Rev. 
Justus T. Umsted, of Faggs' Manor Church ; Rev. Matthew B. 
Grier, D.D., editor of the Presbyterian, Philadelphia; Rev. Nathan 
Grier Parke, of Pittston, Luzerne County ; Rev. James L. Scott, 
Principal of Seminary, Hammonton, New Jersey; Rev. William 
F. P. Noble, of Penningtonville ; Rev. Joseph M. Rittenhouse, of 
Middle Octorara; Rev. Lorenzo Westcott, Professor in Lincoln 
University; Rev. Joseph S. Gilmer, of Kennett Square; Rev. 
Samuel T. Lowrie, of Abington, Montgomery County; Rev. John 
L. Withrow, of Arch Street Church, Philadelphia ; Rev. David 
W. Moore, of Lower Brandywine Church, Delaware ; Rev. John 
P. Clarke, of Little Valley Church, Mifflin County; Rev. Anthony 
C. Junkin, of Red Clay Creek Church, Delaware; Rev. James 
Roberts, of Coatesville ; Rev. John Rea, of Downlngtown ; Rev. 
William W. Heberton, of Brandywine Manor, and Rev. William 
W. Dalbey, Pastor of the Baptist Church iu Penningtonville. 



ACCOUNT OF THE CELEBRATION. it 

Tlie exercises, which were well arrauged and admirably suited 
to the occasion, were presided over by the Rev. John J. Pomeroy. 

The Historical Address occupied two hours in its delivery, and 
was listened to with the utmost attention, and unflagging interest, 
by the vast congregation. The Historian had not time to present 
all the material he had gathered together. His intimate acquain- 
tance with the antiquarian history of the county, and especially 
of this part of it, the place of his birth, had enabled him to draw 
upon stores accessible to few but himself. It was an exceedingly 
valuable discourse, chaste in its diction, admirably blending the 
details of history with the quaint usages and reminiscences of the 
past, and enlivening the dry bones of minute facts with the anec- 
dotes and humor of the times as preserved in tradition. 

At its conclusion, the audience was dismissed to partake of the 
bountiful refreshments the people of the congregation had pro- 
vided. The arrangements for this object were admirable, and the 
temporal wants of all were abundantly supplied. 

After an hour thus spent, and in social intercourse, and in visit- 
ing the adjacent cemetery, the congregation reassembled. 

Rev. N. Gr. Parke was introduced and spoke on Presbyterian- 
ism ; lucidly sketching its history and characteristics. 

Rev. John L. Withrow, son of a former ruling elder in Upper 
Octorara, touchingly referred to his early associations in the church, 
and to personal incidents connected therewith. 

Rev. Samuel T. Lowrie, a descendant of the first elder Arthur 
Parke, also gave some personal reminiscences of his family, and 
their connection with this church. 

J. Smith Futhey, Esq., read interesting letters from several of 
the descendants of the Rev. William Foster, a pastor of the church 
in the olden time. 

Dr. Crowcll and Dr. Reed spoke of their connection with the 
church, and paid fitting tributes to the many good men and women, 
now deceased, with whom they were associated while pastors, and 
to the afiection and esteem which they had ever had from the con- 
gregation, and gave interesting reminiscences of their pastorates. 

The music was excellent, — good, old fashioned congregational sing- 
ing, such as we love, — led by a well trained choir. 



18 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The shades of evening were drawing close around before the 
vast assembly broke up and dispersed to their homes. It was a 
day long to be remembered in the annals of the church — a day 
when old associations were renewed, ties of Christian friendship 
strengthened, and the broken links in her history re-united. It 
will long live in our memory as a day replete with profitable thought 
and reflection, and delightful entertainment. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



Upper Octorara Manse, 

September 24, 1870. 

J. Smith Futhey, Esq., 
Dear Sir : 

Your admirable Historical Address, de- 
livered on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth Anniversary 
of the Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church, has created the very 
general desire on the part of our congregation and friends of our 
Church, to see it in printed form. 

At a joint meeting of the Session and Board of Trustees, the 
undersigned were appointed a committee to make known to you 
this desire, and to respectfully solicit a copy of your Address for 
publication. We earnestly hope this urgent request will meet 
with your favorable response. 

Very truly and sincerely. Yours, 

John J. Pomeroy, 

Pastor of Upper Octorara Church. 

Samuel Walker, 

RiiliDg Elder. 

George M. Boyd, 

President of Board of Trustees. 



West Chester, Pa., Oct. 3, 1870. 

Gentlemen : 

In compliance with your request, I herewith place 
at your disposal the discourse delivered on the occasion of the one 
hundred and fiftieth Anniversary of the Upper Octorara Presby- 
terian Church. 



20 UrPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The task of its preparation — undertaken at the request of the 
Session of the Church — was to me a very grateful one, and the 
consciousness that it has been esteemed of sufficient vahie to justify 
its committal to the press, is an abundant reward for the labor 
bestowed upon it. 

Thanking you for the kindness of the terms in which the request 
has been conveyed. 

I remain. Gentlemen, 

Your obedient servant, 

J. Smith Futhey. 
To 1 

Committee. 



Rev. John J. Pomeroy, [ 
Mr. Samuel Walker, ■ 
Mr. George M. Boyd, J 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 



Remember the days of old, consider the years of many gene- 
rations; ASK THY FATHER AND HE Wlhh SHOfl' THEE; THY ELDERS, 

AND THEY WILL TELL THEE. — Deuteromony xxxii. 7. 
Walk about Zion, and go round about her ; tell the towers 
THEREOF. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; 
that ye may tell it to the generation following. — Psalm 
xlviii. 12, 13. 

It is a time honored usage of all civilized people, 
to commemorate leading events of their past history. 
The Jews had their periods for thanksgiving and re- 
joicing, in commemoration of great national events, 
such as the feast of the Passover and the Jubilean 
festivals ; and their days of fasting, commemorative 
of particular national calamities, such as the fall of 
Jerusalem. A portion of the Christian world hold 
in especial reverence the supposed birth-day of the 
Saviour of mankind, and of that in which he rose from 
the dead, and in the memorial feast of the Lord's 
Supper, we commemorate an event, the most astound- 
ing that has ever transpired in this fallen world. 
There is scarcely a nation or people, who have not 
some memorial usages by which to renew the recol- 
lection of great events. We, as Americans, observe 
as holidays the anniversary of the natal day of him 



22 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

who is not inappropriately styled " the Father of his 
country," and of the day in which, as a nation, we 
flung our banner to the breeze and bade defiance to 
the power that would enslave us. 

And we have come here to-day, to celebrate what 
may be appropriately termed, the sesqui-centennial 
anniversary of the existence of this Church. 

A century and a half has been accomplished, since 
a congregation of Presbyterian emigrants met on this 
spot, to worship the only living and true God, in the 
simple forms used by them in the land of their birth ; 
and from that day to this, on almost every returning 
Sabbath, a congregation of worshipers has met here, 
the everlasting truth has been proclaimed, and the 
sound of prayer and praise has ascended to the most 
High. 

There are interesting associations connected with 
the history of this Church and its surroundings. It 
takes us back to a period when the country here was 
new, and very thinly settled — when it was the home 
and the hunting ground of the Indian, It takes us 
back to the colonial days of our country — to a period 
less than one hundred years from the landing of the( 
Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock, and but thirty-eight 
years after the arrival of William Penn. Aside from 
Philadelphia and a few very small neighboring towns, 
such as Chester and New Castle, the country here 
and in parts adjacent, was then — with few except- 
ions — almost an unbroken wilderness. 

It is true, one hundred and fifty years is not a 
very long time in the history of an old nation, but in 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 23 

ours, it is. To those accustomed to look upon the 
hoary castles of the old world — those monuments of 
a thousand years — that date to the time of the 
Crusades and beyond, a century and a half may 
seem but a brief space of time; but to us, whose past 
extends but a little way back, ere it is lost in dim- 
ness and uncertainty, " a hundred and fifty years 
ago," seems to belong to a remote age. 

When we reflect that it is but a little over three 
hundred and fifty years since the existence of this 
Continent was made known to the European powers; 
that it is little more than half that period since the 
spot where Philadelphia now stands was a forest, 
occupied by the Red Man, we see that this Church 
is one of no inconsiderable American antiquity. 

The Session of this Church have esteemed the 
present period, a suitable one in which to take a 
retrospective glance at her past history, and to trace 
it from its obscure beginnings, through its different 
phases, down to the present time, and they have in- 
vited me to the performance of this grateful, but 
somewhat laborious task. 

In the performance of this duty, I have endeaA^ored 
to carry out the spirit of the words of Moses which 
I have just quoted. I have — so far as the sources 
were available — remembered for you the days of old 
in the history of the Church, and considered the 
years of the generations which have elapsed since its 
foundations were laid. I have asked the fathers, and 
they have showed me ; I have consulted the elders, 
and they have told me, and the information which I 



24 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

have thus gathered, mengre though it may be, I 
come — as far as I am able — to set in order before 
you to-day. 

In this review, it is natural that we should attach 
a particular feeling of interest to the olden time ; for 
societies as well as individuals, are not without curi- 
osity at least, and perhaps pride, in relation to their 
ancestry. And the Christian will ever turn to the 
church of his choice, as an institution claiming his 
affectionate regard, and its history, even back to the 
feeble beginning, should possess for him the highest 
interest. 

In endeavoring however to trace the early history 
of this Church, I have been met with a difficulty 
similar to that experienced by the children of Israel, 
when they were required by their task-masters to 
make bricks without straw 5 but unlike the children 
of Israel, Avho were compelled to gather straw for 
themselves, I have been kindly and cheerfully furn- 
ished with such materials as were accessible. 

No records are to be found of the doings of the Ses- 
sion, during the first ninety years of her existence. It 
is highly probable that none were kept. This neglect, 
which seems to have been common with the Presby- 
terian churches of this country, has been the subject 
of regret with almost every one who has been 
engaged in investigating their early history. Our 
early pastors and sessions seem not to have heeded 
the exhortation of the Psalmist, " to walk about Zion 
and go round about her, and tell the towers thereof; 
to mark well her bulwarks and consider her palaces, 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 25 

that they might tell it to the generation following." 
Had they done so, the labors of the historian wonld 
have been greatly lightened, and his narrative been 
correspondingly more interesting. And this neglect 
does not seem to have arisen, from the want of their 
attention being called to it, for I find on the early 
records of the Presbytery of New Castle, under date 
of September 12, 1717, this entry: "Appointed, that 
the respective ministers, members of this Presbytery, 
do endeavor to keep a session-book in their respective 
congregations." 

" I regard it as the solemn duty of every church, to 
keep a faithful record of its history, and thus afford 
the opportunity to succeeding generations to know 
something of its origin, its progress, its vicissitudes, 
its foes, its struggles and its triumphs." 

The ancient Jews were required "to instruct their 
children, that they might convey throughout all 
generations, the history of those divine interpositions 
and mercies with which they had been favored," and 
the obligation is no less binding upon Christian 
churches, thus to keep in perpetual remembrance, 
the dealings of God with them, for the information 
and encouragement of succeeding generations. I am 
happy to say, that the later records of this church, 
both the sessional records, and those kept by the 
trustees, are remarkably complete and accurate, and 
that its history, during the present generation, may 
be found very fully embodied in them. 

The province of Pennsylvania was early attractive 
to emigrants from other countries. It was recom- 



26 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

mended by its free government, by the character of 
its fundamental laws, its fertile soil, salubrious and 
temperate climate, its adaptation to a rural popula- 
tion, with advantages for trade, commerce and manu- 
factures. 

These emigrants were from various parts of Europe. 
They were not homogeneous, but were diversified by 
their origin, religious principles, habits and language. 
This diversity, arising from their different nationali- 
ties, divided them into three distinctly marked classes, 
whose separation was maintained unbroken for many 
generations, and is not yet effaced. 

It is a singular fact that the white races in Penn- 
sylvania are remarkably unmixed, and retain their 
original character beyond that of any state in the 
Union. These distinctly marked races are the Eng- 
lish, the German and the Scotch and Scotch-Irish. 
Emigrants from other countries contributed to swell 
the population. Among the choicest of the early set- 
tlers were the Swedes, the Welsh, the Huguenots, 
the Hollanders and the Swiss; but their numbers 
were small compared wdth those of the races I have 
just mentioned, and their jDeculiar characteristics, 
through admixture with the people of other nation- 
alities, and the mellowing influence of time, are 
scarcely recognizable. 

The associates and followers of Penn, known as 
Friends or Quakers, who were mainly of English de- 
scent, were amongst the first emigrants, and settled 
chiefly in Philadelphia and the country near it, em- 
bracing what is now Delaware County, the eastern 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 27 

and central portions of Chester County, and the south- 
ern parts of Bucks and Montgomery counties. They 
were an orderly, industrious and law abiding people, 
cultivating peace with all men. 

The Germans, who came in large numbers, were of 
different denominations of Christians, principally Luth- 
eran and German Reformed, with some Mennonites, 
Dunkers, Moravians, Amish and others. They were 
orderly, industrious and frugal farmers, peaceful and 
honest in their relations and dealings ; a people that 
emphatically minded their own business, and made 
continual accessions to their wealth. 

The third race — with which we are more immedi- 
ately concerned — were the Scotch and Scotch-Irish, 
who constituted a considerable portion of the early 
settlers of Pennsylvania, and from whom the greater 
portion of the audience before me are descended. It 
may not be inappropriate before proceeding further, 
to refer briefly to the history of this race previous to 
their emigration to our shores, and I do this the more 
readily, inasmuch as I have found in my intercourse 
with the people, that beyond the fact that they came 
principally from the north of Ireland, little seems to 
be known of them; and this ignorance is common, 
even among their descendants. 

During the Irish rebellions in the reign of Eliza- 
beth, the province of Ulster, embracing the northern 
counties of Ireland, was reduced to the lowest ex- 
tremity of poverty and wretchedness ; and its moral 
and religious state was scarcely less deplorable than 
its civil. Soon after the accession of James I., his 



28 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

quarrels with the Roman Catholics of that ProAdnce, 
led to a conspiracy against the British authority. 
O'Neill and O'Donnell, two Irish lords, who had heen 
created earls by the English government — the former 
the Earl of Tyrone, and the latter the Earl of Tyr- 
connel — arranged a plot against the government. Its 
detection led these chief conspirators to fly the coun- 
try, leaving their extensive estates — about 500,000 
acres — at the mercy of the king, who only wanted a 
pretext for taking possession. A second insurrection 
soon gave occasion for another large forfeiture, and 
nearly six entire counties in the province of Ulster 
were confiscated and subjected to the disposal of the 
crown. But it was a terriiory which showed the 
effects of a long series of lawless disturbances. It 
Avas almost depopulated, its resources wasted, and the 
cultivation of the soil in a great measure abandoned. 
The state of society — such as existed — was in keep- 
ing with the j)hysical aspect of the country. 

It became a favorite project with the king, to re- 
people those counties with a Protestant population, 
who would be disposed to the arts of peace and indus- 
try; the better to preserve order, to establish more 
firmly the British rule, and to introduce a higher state 
of cultivation into that portion of his domains. To pro- 
mote this object, liberal offers of land were made, and 
other inducements held out in England and Scotland 
for colonists to occupy this wide and vacant territory. 
This was about the year 1610. The project was 
eagerly embraced, companies and colonies were 
formed, and individuals without organization were 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 29 

tempted to partake of the advantageous offers of the 
government. A London company — among the first 
to enter upon this new acquisition — established itself 
at Derry, and gave such character to the place, as to 
cause it to be known and called the city of London- 
Derry. 

The principal emigration however, was from Scot- 
land. Its coast is within twenty miles of the County 
of Antrim in Ireland, and across this strait flowed 
from the north-east, a large population distinguished 
for thrift, industry and endurance ; and bringing with 
them their Presbyterianism and rigid adherence to 
the Westminster standards. They settled principally 
in the counties of Down, Londonderry and Antrim ; 
and have given a peculiar and elevated character to 
that portion of the Emerald Isle. 

This was the first Protestant population that was 
introduced into Ireland; and the Presbyterians of 
Scotland, who thus furnished the largest element, 
have maintained their ascendency to the present day, 
against the persevering efforts of the government 
church on the one hand, and the Romanists, by whom 
they were surrounded, on the other. The first Pres- 
byterian church established in Ireland, was in the 
county of Antrim, in 1613. 

The province, in consequence of this influx of popu- 
lation, greatly revived and continued for some years 
to advance in prosperity. The towns were replen- 
ished with inhabitants, the lands were cleared, and 
houses erected throughout the country. 

But it was a day in which the throne of Britain 



30 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

was governed by bigotry and desi^otism. Persecu- 
tions of an oppressive nature began in Ulster in 1661, 
and every expedient — short of utter extirpation — was 
tried, to break down the attachment of the people to 
their Presbyterian polity; but, as is always the case, 
these persecutions only attached the people the stronger 
to their faith. Many ministers were deposed and 
forced to return to Scotland. 

The tide however presently changed. Persecutions 
ceased in Ireland and the scene was transferred to 
Scotland. The latter Stuarts — Charles II. and James 
II. — blind to the dictates of justice and humanity, 
pursued a system of measures best calculated to wean 
from their support their Presbyterian subjects, who 
were bound to them by national prejudice and had 
been most devoted to their kingly cause, and to whose 
assistance Charles II. owed his restoration to the 
throne. Sir James Grahame, better known as Claver- 
house, was sent to Scotland with his dragoons, upon 
the mistaken mission of compelling the Presbyterians 
to conform in their religious worship to that of the 
establishment; and from 1670, until the accession 
of William and Mary, the Presbyterians of Scotland 
worshiped in hidden places, and at the peril of theii' 
lives. 

The attempts to establish "the Church of Eng- 
land" over Scotland, and destroy the religious system 
so universally established and so dearly cherished by 
that devoted people, was pursued by the Charleses 
and James II., by persecutions as mean, cruel, and 
savage as any which have disgraced the annals of 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 31 

religious bigotry and crime. Many were treacher- 
ously and ruthlessly butchered, and the ministers 
were prohibited under severe penalties from preaching, 
baptizing or ministering in any way to their flocks. 

Worn out with the unequal contest, these persist- 
ent and enduring Presbyterians, having suffered to 
the extreme of cruelty and oppression, abandoned the 
land of their birth and sought an asylum among their 
countrymen who had preceded them in the secure re- 
treats of Ulster; and thither they escaped as best 
they could, some crossing the narrow sea in open 
boats. They carried their household gods with 
them, and their religious peculiarities became more 
dear in their land of exile, for the dangers and sor- 
rows through which they had borne them. 

This is the race — composed of various tribes, 
flowing from different parts of Scotland — which fur- 
nished the population in the north of Ireland, famil- 
iarly known as the Scotch-Irish. This term Scotch- 
Irish, does not denote an admixture of the Scotch 
and Irish races. The one did not intermarry with 
the other. The Scotch were principally Saxon in 
blood and Presbyterian in religion; the native Irish 
Celtic in blood and Roman Catholic in religion; and 
these were elements which could not very readily 
coalesce. Hence the races are as distinct in Ireland 
at the present da}'', after the lapse of two centuries 
and a half, as when the Scotch first took up their 
abode in that island. They were called Scotch-Irish, 
simply from the circumstance that they were the 
descendants of Scots, who had taken up their resi-. 
dence in the north of Ireland. 



32 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

1 may observe, that the term "Scotch-Irish," — 
although expressive — is purely American. In Ire- 
land it is not used. There, in contra-distinction to 
the native or Celtic Irish, they are called Scotch. 

These people, by their industry, frugality and skill, 
made the region into which they thus moved, com- 
paratively a rich and flourishing country. They im- 
proved agriculture, and introduced manufactures, and 
by the excellence and high reputation of their pro- 
ductions, attracted trade and commerce to their 
markets. 

The government however, soon began to recognize 
them, in the shape of taxes and embarrassing regula- 
tions upon their industry and trade. These restric- 
tions, together with an extravagant advance in rents 
by landlords whose long leases had now expired, oc- 
casioned much distress, and the people were brought 
to a state of degrading subjection to England, and 
many of them reduced to comparative poverty. 

Their patience was at length exhausted, and these 
energetic and self-willed Scotch-Irish, animated by 
the same spirit which subsequently moved the Ameri- 
can mind in the days of the Revolution, determined 
no longer to endure these oppressive measures, and 
they sought by another change of residence to find a 
frfeer field for the exercise of their industry and skill, 
and for the enjoyment of their religion. 

Ireland was not the home of their ancestors; it 
was endeared to them by no traditions, and num- 
bers of them determined to quit it, and seek in the 
American wilds a better home than they had in the 
old world. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 33 

Accordingly, about the beginning of the eighteenth 
century, they commenced to emigrate to the Ameri- 
can colonies in large numbers. The spirit of emigra- 
tion — fostered no doubt by the glowing accounts sent 
home by their countrymen who had preceded them — 
seized these people to such an extent, that it threat- 
ened almost a total depopulation. Such multitudes 
of husbandmen, laborers and manufacturers flocked 
over the Atlantic, that the landlords began to be 
alarmed, and to concert ways and means for prevent- 
ing the growing evil. Scarce a ship sailed for the 
colonies, that was not crowded with men, women and 
children. They came for a time principally to Penn- 
sylvania; although some of them settled in New 
England, and others found their way to the Caro- 
linas. It is stated by Proud, in his history of Penn- 
sylvania, that by the year 1729, six thousand 
Scotch-Irish had come to that colony, and that be- 
fore the middle of the century, nearly twelve thous- 
and arrived annually for several years. In September 
1736, alone, one thousand families sailed from Belfast, 
on account of the difficulty of renewing their leases. 

They were Protestants, and generally Presbyte- 
rians — few or none of the Catholic Irish came until 
after the Revolution. The settlement of this latter 
class in this country, is comparatively of modern 
date. 

Extensive emigrations from the northern counties 
of Ireland, were principally made at two distinct 
periods of time. The first, — of which I have been 
speaking — from about the year 1718 to the middle 



34 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

of the century; the second, from about 1771 to 1773, 
althouoh "there was a crentle current westward be- 
tween these two eras." 

The cause of this second extensive emigration was 
somewhat similar to that of the first. It is well 
known that a greater portion of the lands in Ireland, 
are owned by a comparatively small number of pro- 
prietors, who rent them to the farming classes on 
long leases. In 1771, the leases on an estate in the 
county of Antrim — the property of the Marquis of 
Donegal — having exj)ired, the rents were so largely 
advanced, that many of the tenants could not comply 
with the demands, and were deprived of the farms 
they had occupied. This aroused a spirit of resent- 
ment to the oppression of the large landed proprietors, 
and an immediate and extensive emigration to America 
was the consequence. From 1771 to 1773, there 
sailed from the ports in the north of Ireland, nearly 
one hundred vessels, carrying as many as tAventy-five 
thousand passengers, all Presbyterians. This was 
shortly before the breaking out of the Revolutionary 
war, and these people, leaving the old world in such 
a temper, became a powerful contribution to the cause 
of liberty, and to the separation of the colonies from 
the mother country. 

These Scotch-Irish emigrants landed principally at 
New Castle and Philadelphia, and found their way 
northward and westAvard into the eastern and middle 
counties of Pennsylvania. From thence, one stream 
followed the great Cumberland Valley into Virginia 
and North Carolina, and from these, colonies passed 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 35 

into Kentucky and Tennessee. Another powerful 
body went into western Pennsylvania, and settling 
on the head waters of the Ohio, became famous both 
in civil and ecclesiastical history, and have given to 
the region around Pittsburgh, the name it so well de- 
serves, of being the back-bone of Presbyterianism. 

The first settlement in fJiis region of country, was 
made by the Scotch-Irish about the year 1718. They 
gradually spread over the whole western portion of 
Chester County, from Maryland and Delaware on the 
south, to the chain of hills known as the Welsh 
mountain on the north; and the greater portion of 
the population of this district of country at the pres- 
ent ' day, are their descendants. These early emi- 
grants planted the Presbyterian churches at Upper 
Octorara, Faggs Manor, Brandywine Manor, New 
London and Oxford, in this county; and these 
churches abide in strength to the present day. 

It is said to be a hard thing to kill a Presbyterian 
Church, and this is exemplified not only in those 
planted in this county, but throughout the country. 
Of course, this is only true as a general rule. Pres- 
byterian churches may — from emigration and other 
causes — become weakened and eventually cease to 
exist, but it will be found on examination, that they 
are more tenacious of life than those of any other de- 
nomination. 

Such is a brief sketch of the early history of the 
people known as the Scotch-Irish, and of their emi- 
gration and settlement in this country. 

This race, "in energy, enterprise, intelligence, edu- 



36 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

cation, patriotism, religious and moral character, the 
maintenance of civil and religions liberty, and inflex- 
able resistance to all usurpation in church and state, 
were not surpassed by any class of settlers in the 
American colonies." 

In the struggle for popular rights, they were ever 
found on the side of the people, and the maintenance 
of freedom in religious worship, was with them a car- 
dinal principle. 

Pennsylvania owes much of what she is to-day, to 
the fact that so many of these people settled within 
her borders. Probably not less than five millions of 
people in America, have the blood of these Scotch 
and Scotch-Irish in their veins, and there is not one 
of them, man or woman, that is not ' proud of it, or 
that would exchange it for any other lineage. 

*'The first public voice in America for dissolving- 
all connection with Great Britain," says Bancroft, 
"came from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians." A 
large number of them were signers of the Declaration 
of Independence, and throughout the revolution they 
were devoted to the cause of the country. Such a 
thing as a Scotch-Irish tory was unheard of; the race 
never produced one. It was the energy and devotion 
of this people that sustained the army in the field in 
the many dark hours of that contest, and which under 
the guidance of Providence, carried this country suc- 
cessfully through the struggle for freedom. 

When the subject of the dissolution of all connec- 
tion between the colonies and the mother country 
was before the Continental Congress, it was John 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 37 

Witlierspoon, a Scotch Presbyterian clergyman, and 
a descendant of John Knox, who is reported to have 
said, "That noble instrument on your table, which 
secures immortality to its author, should be sub- 
scribed this very morning by every pen in this 
house. He who will not respond to its accents, and 
strain every nerve to carry into effect its provisions, 
is unworthy the name of a freeman. Although these 
gray hairs must descend into the sepulchre, I would 
infinitely rather they w^ould descend thither by the 
hand of the public executioner, than desert, at this 
crisis, the sacred cause of my country!" — words 
which Avere potent in securing the adoption of the 
Declaration of Independence. 

Many of the most eminent men in the nation are, 
and have been of this race. It has furnished five 
Presidents of the United States, seven Governors of 
Pennsylvania, a majority of the judges of this state, 
and a full proportion of the legislators, state and 
national, and of those who have occupied other high 
official positions. 

In the church, we may well be proud of the names 
of those who have ministered at her altars. A race, 
which has produced such men as John Witherspoon, 
the Tennants, father and sons, Samuel and John 
Blair, Francis Alison, the Duffields, the Alexanders, 
Robert Smith and his sons, Samuel Stanhope Smith 
and John Blair Smith, has proven that it is not of 
ignoble blood, and that it is second to none on the 
face of the earth with which it may be compared. 

The race is noted for its firmness, perseverance and 



oh UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

undaunted energy in whatever it undertakes, and 
those characteristics have aided in carrying it succes- 
sively through many a conflict. Whatever an indi- 
vidual with Scotch blood predominating in his veins 
undertakes, he generally performs, if in his power, 

AVhen John Knox was laid in his grave, the Earl 
of Morton — then recently appointed regent — who stood 
by, is said to have pronounced his eulogium in these, 
or similar words : "There lies he, who never feared 
the face of man." And what was true of John Knox, 
may be said of the race, "It never shrinks from re- 
sponsibilities, and it fears not the face of man." 

Its character for firmness — perhaps it might be 
called stubbornness — is somewhat facetiously, but 
well illustrated in the prayer of the Scotch elder, who 
besought the Lord that he might be always right, 
adding, "for thou knowest Lord, that I am very hard 
to turn," or, as expressed in the Scottish dialect, 
"ye ken Lord, that I am unco hard to turn." 

We will now turn from this cursory glance at the 
history of the race to which most of us belong, and 
direct our attention to that of this Church, which as 
already observed, was founded b}^ emigrants from the 
province of Ulster, and which has been mainly main- 
tained by their descendants. 

The township of Sadsbury, in which this church is 
situated, was organized at a very early day. Origi- 
nally, it extended indefinitely westward, but by the 
erection of Lancaster county in 1729, the Octorara 
creek became its western boundary, and that portion 
of the township west of the creek, became known as 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 39 

Sadsbmy township, in Lancaster county. The name 
is English. It was originally settled by both Quak- 
ers and Presbyterians, and the population ever since, 
has been of a mixed character. 

This congregation was formed — ^as near as can now 
be ascertained — in the jeai 1720. As there is no 
record of its organization, we can onl}" approximate 
the time when the people first assembled on this spot 
for religious worship. This is believed to have been 
in the fall of the year 1720 — one hundred and fifty 
years ago. 

It was originally known as Sadshury. The first 
minister who preached here was the Rev. David 
Evans. Mr. Evans had been pastor of the congre- 
gation of the Welsh tract, in New Castle county, 
Delaware, but difficulties arising between him and 
some of his people, the pastoral relation was dis- 
solved. This was in May, 1720. He then, as ap- 
pears from the minutes of Presbytery, supplied the 
people of Tredyffrin, now known as the Great Valley 
church, and was also sent by the Presbytery to the 
region now called Octorara, Forks of Brandywine and 
Conestoga, extending to Donegal and even beyond. 
The whole territory thus included, was missionary 
ground, and Mr. Evans preached in various places in 
the different settlements which had been formed. In 
June, 1721, he was directed by the Presbytery to 
supply the same people, and a letter was directed to 
be written by Mr. Cross, to the people at Tredyffrin, 
and "the people at Sadsbury, upon the western 
branches of Brandywine," and the people at Cones- 



40 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

toga. In August, 1721, Mr. Evans reported to Pres- 
byteiy that lie had supplied the people of Tredyffrin, 
and Sadsbuiy, and Gonestoga. Mr. Cross also re- 
ported, that he had written to the people of Sadsbury 
according to appointment. Mr. Evans was again ap- 
pointed to supply the people at Tredyffrin, and di- 
rected ''to allow every fourth Sabbath day to the 
people at Sadsbury." In September, 1721, the name 
of Octorara first appears upon the minutes of Presby- 
tery. It is recorded that "a letter from the people 
of Sadsbury (alias Akterara), to this Presbytery being 
read, was referred to the committee on bills and 
overtures." 

This is the last time that Sadsbury is mentioned as 
the name of this congregation; thereafter it is called 
Octorara. The first syllable of the name Octorara, 
would seem originally to have been pronounced Ac, 
as in the early minutes of Presbytery it is spelled 
Akterara, Ackterara, Acterara, Actarara. We indeed, 
sometimes hear it so pronounced at the present day. 

The name "Upper Octorara," was first given to this 
church about the year 1727, to distinguish it from 
Middle Octorara, in Lancaster County ; and from the 
church now called Lower West Nottingham, in Mary- 
land, which was originally known as " Mouth of Octo- 
rara," and subsequently as "Lower Octorara." 

Mr. Evans continued to supply this congregation 
until March, 1723, when Rev. Daniel Macgill was ap- 
pointed to have the oversight of it. He supplied it 
until his death on February 10, 1724. In April, 
1724, Rev. David Evans was again directed by Pres- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 41 

byteiy, to "supply ye people of Actarara with preach- 
ing every fourth Sabbath." He did so until July 
1724, when he ceased to act in that capacity. 

The congregation was directed by the Presbytery 
"to gratify the ministers sent to them, and not let 
them go home unpaid." They would seem from this 
injunction, to have been a little remiss in the per- 
formance of the duty they owed to those who were 
sent to break unto them the bread of life. 

Mr. Evans, who was thus the first minister to this 
congregation, was a native of Wales, from Avhence he 
emigrated about the year 1701, graduated at Yale 
College in 1713, was ordained in 1714, and besides 
thus supplying Octorara for a time, was pastor of the 
Great Valley Church in Tredyffrin township for about 
twenty years. He afterwards accepted a call to a 
church in New Jersey, where he labored until his 
death, about the year 1750. He was recording clerk 
of the Presbytery of New Castle from its organiza- 
tion, March 13, 1716-7, until September 23, 1721, 
and his penmanship, as exhibited in the records of 
Presbytery, was in the extreme curious. His edu- 
cation and attainments were of a high grade. In 
1748, he published a work, entitled "Law and Gos- 
pel; or, Man wholly Ruined by the Fall, and Recov- 
ered by the Gospel," being the substance of several 
sermons preached in 1734, at Tredyffrin from Gal. 
iii. 10, and Rom. i. 16. He was an eccentric and 
high spirited man, excitable and somewhat vascillat- 
ing in his course. 

Mr. Macgill, Avho, as already stated, ministered to 

4 



42 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

this congregation for about one year, was a native of 
Scotland, and came to this country about 1712, in 
September of which year he was received as a mem- 
ber of Presbytery. He is said to have been some- 
what austere in his manners, but a good preacher and 
a learned man. The following advertisement, which 
is nearly all that has been rescued concerning him 
from the river of oblivion, is deemed worthy of pre- 
servation as an item of the olden time: "1722, Ran 
away from the Rev. D. Magill, a servant clothed 
with damask breeches, black broad-cloth vest, broad- 
cloth coat of copper colour and trimmed with black, 
and wearing black stockings." In reading this adver- 
tisement describing the dress of the servant, we may 
well exclaim. "If the servant was not greater than 
his master, what must the master have been?" 

The Rev. Adam Boyd, who was the first regular 
pastor of this Church, was born in Ballymena, county 
Antrim, Ireland, in 1692, and came to New England 
as a probationer in 1722 or 1723. While there, he 
preached at Dedham. After remaining there for a 
time, he concluded to return to his native country, 
and was furnished by the celebrated Cotton Mather 
— who esteemed him well — with a certificate of his 
good character in this country, dated June 10, 1724, 
He, however, had formed an attachment to a daughter 
of Rev. Thomas Craighead, one of the pioneers of the 
Irish Presbyterians of New England, and, relinquish- 
ing his design of returning home, came to Pennsyl- 
vania, whither Mr. Craighead and his family had 
shortly preceded him, bringing with him the com- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 43 

menclatoiy letter of Cotton Mather, as well as creden- 
tials from Ireland, and was received under the care 
of New Castle Presbytery. The following is the 
minnte of Presbytery on the occasion of his recep- 
tion : "July 29, 1724. The testimonials of Mr. 
Adam Boyd, preacher of the gospel, lately come 
from New England, were read and approved, and he 
being interrogated by the moderator, whether he 
would submit to this Presbytery, he answered that 
he Avould, during his abode in these parts." Mr. 
Craighead had been received as a member of Presby- 
tery on January 28, 1723-4. 

A copy, in Cotton Mather's hand- writing, of the 
letter given by him to Mr. Boyd, has been preserved 
among the Mather MSS. in the library of the Ameri- 
can Antiquarian Society, at Worcester, Massachusetts. 
It reads thus : 

" Boston, N. E., June 10, 1724. 

" Our worthy friend, Mr. Adam Boyd, being on a return to 
Europe, it is hereby certified, on his behalf, that for the years of 
his late sojourning in these parts of the world, his behaviour, so 
far as we understand, has been inoflFensive and commendable, and 
such as hath justified the testimonials with which he arrived 
hither. And we make no doubt that he will make a report of the 
kind reception which he and others of his and our brethern com- 
ing from Scotland and Ireland hither, (whereof more than two or 
three are at this time acceptably exercising their ministry in our 
churches,) have found in this country, that will be very contrary 
to the misrepresentations which some disturbers of the peace have 
given of it. 

" We implore the blessing of our gracious Lord upon his person 
and his voyage, and hope that wherever he may be disposed of, he 
may have the rewards and comforts of a patient continuance in 
well doing to attend him." 



44 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

On the same day on which Mr. Boyd became a 
member of Presbytery, he was sent as a supply to 
Octorara, with directions to collect a congregation 
also at Pequea, and take the necessary steps towards 
its organization. He was so acceptable to the people 
that at the next meeting of Presbytery, September 
14, 1724, a call was presented for his services as a 
pastor by Cornelius Rowan and Arthur Park, repre- 
sentatives of the people at Octorara and Pickqua. 
This call was accepted by him on the 6th of October, 
and at the urgent request of the commissioners who 
presented it, that an early day should be fixed for 
his ordination, the Presbytery met at the " Ackterara 
Meeting House" on the 13th of October, 1724, for 
that purpose. 

At this meeting of Presbytery — the first held on 
this spot — there were present as members, Thomas 
Craighead, of White Clay creek, George Gillespie, 
of Head of Christiana, Henry Hook, of Drawyers, 
Thomas Evans, of Pencader, and Alexander Hutchin- 
son, of Bohemia, ministers, and Peter Bouchelle, 
elder. Mr. Craighead presided as Moderator. 

Mr. Boyd having passed the usual examination, 
the minutes of Presbytery record that " Proclamation 
being made three times by Mr. George Gillespie, at the 
door of the meeting-house of Octorara, that if any 
person had any thing to object against the ordaining 
of Mr. Adam Boyd, they should make it known to 
the Presbytery now sitting, and no objection being 
made, they proceeded to his ordination, solemnly 
setting him apart to the work of the ministry, with 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 45 

prayer and imposition of the hands of the Presbytery. 
Mr. Henry Hook preaching the ordination sermon^ 
and presiding in the work." 

Cornelius Rowan and Arthur Park, who repre- 
sented the congregation in prosecuting the call for 
Mr. Boyd, were natives of the north of Ireland, and 
were, of course, among the very earliest settlers of 
this region. As they are the first names of which 
we have any mention in connection with this congre- 
gation, a brief reference to them may not be unin- 
teresting. 

Cornelius Rowan resided south of the present 
village of Cochranville, and was evidently somewhat 
advanced in years. He died in August, 1725, less 
than one year after the installation of Mr. Bo^^d. In 
his will he speaks of himself as " late from Ireland," 
and mentions his wife Ann " now in Ireland." -He 
left a son Abraham Rowan, and a daughter Ann, the 
wife of James Cochran, of Octorara. The persons 
appointed to execute his will, were his son-in-law, 
James Cochran, James Moore of New London, and 
Rev. Adam Boyd, whom he calls " minister of Octo- 
rara." His daughter Ann, the wife of James Cochran, 
left seven children, Robert, John, George, Stephen, 
Jane, and James Cochran, and Ann, the wife of Rev. 
John Roan. 

The Cochran famil}^ were among the early emi- 
grants. Three brothers, David, Robert, and James 
came from Scotland, and settled in the neighborhood 
of the present village of Cochranville. Their de- 
scendants have been numerous, and some of them 



46 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

have occupied positions of honor and influence. 
Samuel Cochran, a descendant of James and his wife 
Ann, the daughter of Cornelius Rowan, and a son of 
Stephen Cochran, was for a number of years Surveyor 
General of Pennsylvania, and filled the office of State 
Senator. The Cochrans w^ere among the early mem- 
bers of this congregation. Some time after the 
organization of Fagg's Manor, they transferred their 
membership to that church, it being nearer their 
place of abode. James Cochran was one of its first 
ruling elders. Their place of burial, however, has 
always, until recently, been in the graveyard of this 
Church, where numerous stones, erected to j)erpetuate 
the memory of the different members of the family, 
may be seen. 

Arthur Park was a native of Ballylagby, in county 
Donegal, Ireland. He, with his wife Mary and four 
children, Joseph, John and Samuel Park, and a 
daughter, the wife of William Noblett, came to this 
country prior to 1724. His brothers, Samuel and 
David, and his sister Jane, emigrated at the same 
time. 

Arthur Park took up by warrant all the lands now 
embraced in the farms occupied by Adam Reid, Hood 
Reece, John Parke, John Andrew Parke, J. Wilson 
Hershberger, Walter Sutton and brother, and S. Butler 
Windle. He resided in the house formerly occupied 
by J. Wilson Hershberger, a short distance west of the 
Limestone road, wdiich was the homestead, and died 
there in February, 1740. He devised the lands I have 
mentioned to his sons Josej^h and John, subject to the 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 47 

payment of legacies to the other heirs. These sons 
divided the real estate between them ; Joseph taking 
the southern part, embracing the farms now of J. W. 
Hershberger, the Messrs. Sutton and S. B. Windle, 
and John taking the northern part, covering the farms 
now of John Park, Adam Reid, and Hood Reece. 
Joseph Park, after his father's death, resided for a 
time at the old homestead, and then sold his lands 
and removed to Georgia. John Park erected a dwell- 
ing on the part taken by him, where the present 
John Parke resides. He died July 28, 1787, at the 
age of eighty-one years. His Avife Elizabeth died 
May 21, 1794, at the age of eighty-two years. Their 
children were Arthur, Joseph, John, William, Mary, 
Elizabeth, Jane, David and Samuel, the last of whom 
died young. The entire Parke family, in this section 
of the country, together with many families bearing 
other honored surnames, are their descendants. It 
has furnished this church with five ruling elders, in 
five successive generations, — two of them bearing the 
name of Arthur, and three that of John, — and has 
also furnished four ministers — the late Rev. Samuel 
Parke, and his son. Rev. Nathan Grier Parke, the 
Rev. Samuel T. Lowrie, and the Rev. John L. With- 
row. The name was originally spelled Park, but the 
later generations spell it Parke. Members of the 
family of the seventh generation from the original 
Arthur Park, are present within these walls to-day. 

When the emigrant Arthur Park came from Ire- 
land, lie brought with him, among other household 
articles, a pewter platter, about seventeen inches in 



48 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

diameter, which has been preserved, and is now in 
the possession of one of his descendants. The letters 
A. M. P., the initials of the names of Arthnr and 
Mary Park, are stamped upon it. 

The Rev. Adam Boyd, at the time of his ordina- 
tion, was about thirty-two years of age. Ten days 
thereafter he was married to Jane, the daughter of 
Rev. Thomas Craighead. His field of labor, when he 
became the pastor of this church, was quite extensive, 
and embraced not only its present territory, but 
covered also that belonging to the present congrega- 
tions of Fork of Brandywine, Middle Octorara, Lea- 
cock, Pequca, Donegal, Doe Bun, Coatesville, Belle- 
view, Waynesburg, Penningtonville, and the northern 
portion of Fagg's Manor. Donegal he gave up, in 
1727. In the same year, the portion of the congre- 
gation residing on the west side of the Octorara creek, 
having considerably increased in numbers, received 
permission from Presbytery to erect a meeting-house 
and to organize a new congregation. The church 
known as Middle Octorara was accordingly organized, 
and received supplies from Presbytery until a regular 
pastor was installed. Mr. Boyd continued to preach 
to them until the year 1730. 

In 1731, the people at Pequea, to whom Mr. Boyd 
had ministered a portion of his time from his first 
taking charge of this church, obtained his services 
regularly every sixth Sabbath, and he continued to 
minister to them until October, 1733, when his father- 
in-law, Bev. Thomas Craighead, received and accepted 
a call from them, and was installed as their regular 
pastor. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 49 

Mr. Boyd, on the first of January, 1727, purchased 
from William Pusey two hundred and fifty acres of 
land in Sadsbury township, embracing the present 
farm of the late Rev. James Latta, and the late Wil- 
liam Armstrong, and erected thereon a stone dwelling 
house, wherein he resided during the remainder of his 
life, and where he reared a large family. The dwelling 
house thus erected forms the front.part of the present 
residence of Mrs. Latta. A few years thereafter, he 
took out a warrant and obtained a patent for about 
two hundred acres adjoining, comprising the present 
fiirms of Joseph C. Boyd, and that known as the 
Black Horse farm, of the late John Boyd. His real 
estate therefore consisted of the properties now owned 
by John Y. Latta, Joseph C. Boyd, the late William 
Armstrong, and the late John Boyd, and contained 
altogether over five hundred acres. 

The first meeting-house at this place stood a little 
west of the middle of the present graveyard. The 
eastern wall ran along about where Rev. Adam Boyd 
and Rev. William Foster are buried. It was a log 
structure, about thirty-five or forty feet square. The 
first notice we have of it is at the ordination of Mr. 
Boyd, in October, 1724, when the Presbytery, as 
recorded in their minutes, met for that purpose "at 
Ackterara meeting-house," and on which occasion 
Mr. Gillespie made the proclamation already referred 
to " at the door of the meeting-house." As the con- 
gregation had supplies from the year 1720, the proba- 
bilities are that this log meeting-house was erected 
about the latter year, or soon thereafter, and that 



50 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

David Evans and Daniel Macgill preached in it pre- 
vious to Mr. Boyd. 

It was the custom of the Presbj^terian emigrants, 
wherever they formed a settlement, as soon as they 
had reared or obtained dwellings for their families, to 
organize congregations and erect houses of worship. 
These buildings were universally called " meeting- 
houses." The use of the term "church" for the 
house of worship is, among Presbyterians, an innova- 
tion of quite modern date. Presbyterians in the 
olden time did not go to church — they went to meet- 
ing. Indeed, in my boyhood days — and, in my esti- 
mation at least, they are not so very far in the past — 
I always went to meeting. The inquiry on Sunday 
morning usually was, Who is going to meeting to-day? 
Now, however, like the rest of the Presbyterians, I 
go to church. I am old fogy enough to wish that the 
term used by our fathers had been retained, but as 
there is not much probability that it will ever be 
restored, I suppose there is nothing for me, and 
those who, like me, are somewhat wedded to the 
things of the past, to do but to submit gracefully, and 
be carried along with the current. 

This log meeting-house, after being used for a 
number of years, was, tradition says, accidentally 
burned. 

The congregation then erected their second church 
building. It was placed a short distance northwest 
from where the old one had stood, and was the eastern 
half of the edifice torn down in 1840, when the house 
in which we now worship wiis erected. Its dimen- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 51 

sions were about thirty-five by forty-two feet. The 
pulpit was in the north end, and faced the door, which 
was in the centre of the south wall. Many of you 
will remember where this door stood. It was walled 
up when the building was subsequently enlarged, 
but the mark was distinctly visible. 

I cannot give the date of the erection of this second 
house. Corner-stones (so called) containing historical 
data, were not laid in those days, and no written 
memorial is extant, but it was some time prior to the 
middle of the last century. At the same time, a 
stone session house, fifteen by twenty feet, was 
erected in the rear of the church. This building is 
still standing in the north-west corner of the present 
graveyard. It has an age of over a century and a 
quarter, and it is hoped that the trustees will pre- 
serve it as a memorial of the past. In early times it 
was very common to have these session houses — 
study houses they used to be styled — ^in connection 
with every meeting-house. I well remember hearing 
the term ''study house" applied to this building in 
my young days. They were designed for the use of 
the ministers and elders of the church. Candidates 
for admission to church privileges were there ex- 
amined. The ministers were accustomed to use them 
in preparing for the services, when they arrived 
before the hour at which they began, and they would 
also resort to them to prepare for the afternoon ser- 
vice. 

The bounds of the congregation were curtailed on 
its southern side, by the formation of a new congre- 



52 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

gation about the year 1730, at Faggs Manor, in 
Londonderry township. That church was originally 
called NcAV Londonderry, and bore that name for 
some years. The name of Fagg's Manor w'as subse- 
quently given to it from the circumstance that it is 
situated in the north-west corner of a tract of land 
containing about seven thousand acres, which had 
been granted by William Penn to his daughter Letitia 
Aubrey, and called Fagg's ISIanor in honor of Sir 
John Fagg, a relative of the Penii family. The 
new congregation, although efforts were made at an 
early date to obtain a minister from the Associate 
Presbytery in Scotland, was without a pastor until 
the year 1739, fifteen years after Boyd came to 
Octorara, when the gifted Samuel Blair settled among 
them. The next year, a great revival of religion 
commenced there, which appears to have continued 
for a number of years. That church has a very 
interesting history, which it is hoped some Old Mor- 
tality will unearth, and set in order, at no distant 
day. 

In the year 1732, the Presbytery of New Castle 
was divided, and the Presbytery of Donegal formed 
from the western portion of its territory. Upper 
Octorara was set off to the new Presbytery, and 
belonged to it until the year 1755, when it was re- 
transferred to New Castle, of which it continued to 
be a member until the recent formation of the Pres- 
bytery of Chester, to wdiich it now belongs. 

At an early date, an extensive settlement of Scotch- 
Irish Presbyterians had been made in the neighbor- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 53 

hood of what is usually called Brandywine Manor, " 
then called, and ever since officially known as the 
" Forks of Brandywine." Those people formed a 
part of the congregation of Upper Octorara, and came 
to this place to worship, some of them coming a dis- 
tance of over ten miles. 

At a meeting of the Presbytery of Donegal, held 
at Octorara Church June 5th, 1734, they make this 
record : 

" The people on the Forks of Brandywine, being a 
part of Mr. Boyd's congregation, put in a supplication 
to the Presbytery for liberty of erecting a meeting 
house for Mr. Boyd to preach in, when sometimes he 
comes to them, which was granted." 

Again, when the Presbytery of Donegal met, on 
the 4th day of April, 1735, they say : 

"A supplication from the peoj^le on the Forks of 
Brandywine was presented and read ; wherein they 
suppose themseh^es to be a distinct erected congrega- 
tion of people by Presbyterial authority, and desiring 
supplies accordingly." " And also, another from 
the elders of the congregation of Octorara, desiring 
the subscription of those persons belonging to said 
people, may be continued to Mr. Boyd's support." 

The Presbytery, having these contending applica- 
tions, were no little perplexed. But they eventually 
came to the conclusion, " that the people on the Forks 
of Brandywine committed an error in supposing that 
they were already recognized as an independent con- 
gregation ; expressing at the same time their convic- 
tion that such a measure would soon be expedient, if 



54 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

not indispensable, as leave had already been given 
them to build a house for their more convenient 
enjoying the visits of Mr. Boyd." 

At the next meeting of Presbytery, a supplication 
from the people of the Forks of Brandywine was pre- 
sented and read, the substance of which was, that 
they might be erected into a distinct congregation, 
and that Presbytery would concur with them in 
endeavoring to obtain a visit from some of those 
young gentlemen lately from Ireland, and w^ho have 
joined the Presbytery of New Castle, in order to their 
consulting about giving such minister a call." 

The Presbytery, after some hesitation, granted 
their request; and, on the 18th of September, 1735, 
erected them into a separate congregation, and they 
accordingly, at that date, ceased to be an integral 
part of Octorara. They called as their pastor the 
Rev. Samuel Black, who was ordained and installed 
November 10th, 1736. Mr. Black continued in that 
connection for a few years, when he was either sus- 
pended or deposed from the gospel ministry. 

About this period, differences arose in the Presby- 
terian Church, which culminated in Avhat was called 
" the great schism," by which the church was rent in 
twain, and remained thus divided from 1741 to 1758, 
a period of seventeen years. This division was not 
the result of any difference between the parties on 
doctrinal sentiments — for both agreed in the cordial 
adoption of the confession of faith and catechisms — 
but of opinion as to certain measures connected with 
the great revival of 1740, which revival extended 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 55 

from Massachusetts to Georgia, and in wliicli White-- 
field, the Tennants, Samuel Blair and others were 
prominent actors. 

On the subject of this great revival, the ministers 
of the Synod of Philadelphia were divided. 

The friends of Whitefield and the revival regarded 
all who opposed them as setting themselves in oppo- 
sition to the glorious work of grace, and as enemies 
of God, and uncharitably condemned them as uncon- 
verted men and hypocrites. On the other hand, the 
opposers of the revival, as they were called, disclaimed 
all opposition to it, but censured the kind of preach- 
ing adopted by those who claimed to be its friends, 
and the extravagant measures employed for promoting 
it. They were also offended at what they deemed the 
harsh and uncharitable spirit with which they were 
denounced and, as they said, misrepresented by the 
preachers on the other side. 

Another cause for alienation arose from measures 
adopted by the Synod to prevent the admission of 
uneducated men into the ministry, and in regard to 
itinerant preaching. These were denounced by the 
Revivalists, who refused to be governed by them, 
and persisted in intruding themselves into settled 
congregations, and causing dissensions between the 
pastors and their people. 

Both parties were undoubtedl}' to some extent in 
the wrong, — the old side, in setting themselves in 
opposition to the revival of rehgion, and the new 
side, in doing and saying many unadvised things 
under the influence of a fervid zeal. 



56 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The result of this contention was of course disas- 
trous, and as ah-eady observed, ended in the dismem- 
berment of the Church, and its division into two 
parties, known respectively as the '^ old side" and 
the " new side." Those who adhered to the new 
side, withdrew from the Synod of Philadelphia, and 
formed a new synod called the Synod of New York. 
The new side members of the Presbyteries of New 
Castle and Donegal also withdrew from their respect- 
ive Presbyteries, and formed a new one, called " The 
Second Presbytery of New Castle." 

This unfortunate controversy ran a plough share, 
as it were, through this congregation. Mi\ Boyd (the 
pastor), and a portion of the congregation adhered to 
the old side. The new side members — who composed 
a large majority — withdrew and organized " the 
Second Congregation of Upper Octorara," leaving the 
pastor, and the minority who adhered to him, in un- 
disputed possession of the church property. This 
occurred in 1741. This second congregation, after 
their secession, worshiped for a time in a board tent 
which they erected on these church grounds, a short 
distance north of the meeting-house, but they soon 
took measures for the erection of a new church, and 
for this purpose took out a warrant from the Proprie- 
taries on the 10th of February, 1743, in the name of 
Hugh Cowan, John Robb and John Henderson, for 
twenty-five acres of vacant land lying on the hill 
north of the late residence of Cyrus Cooper, and in 
the same year erected thereon, near its south-east 
corner, a frame meeting-house, about thirty-five by 



HISTORICAL DISCOUKSE. 57 

forty feet, and a stone session-house, and also enclosed 
a grave yard. 

They had supplies from the Second Presbytery of 
New Castle until the year 1747, when the Rev. 
Andrew Sterling was ordained by that Presbytery, 
and installed as their pastor. 

The leading families in this new church were the 
Hamills, Boggs, Cowans, Sloans, Glendennings,Kyles, 
Sharps, Dickeys, Moody s, Wilsons, Kerrs, Summer- 
ills, Robbs, Hendersons, Sandfords, Allisons and 
others. 

The spot where this New Side church stood, which 
is now quite retired and somewhat difficult of access, 
was then as public as the location of the old church, 
the roads at that early date being differently located 
from what they are at the present day. Then, the 
leading public road from the Pequea Valley towards 
Philadelphia, — using the names of the present or late 
owners for facility of description — came by the late 
residence of Martin Armstrong, near the location of 
the present road to where it intersects the Lancaster 
turnpike, thence in the same general direction diago- 
nally across the Latta farm, passing a short distance 
west of the present mansion, then by this church near 
where the road passes at present, to a point a short 
distance below the residence of Oliver P. Wilson, 
thence, leaving the present road where it makes a 
curve to the right, it continued the same general 
course across the Wilson farm and through the woods 
south of it, through the twenty-five acres belonging 
to the new church, and passed diagonally down the 



58 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

hill into the valley, a short distance east of the late 
residence of Cyrus Cooper, from thence it continued 
its course down the A^alley, crossing Buck Run near 
the culvert on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and pass- 
ing a short distance from Major Pomeroy's barn. The 
route of this old road is, in places, very percep- 
tible, and those of you who may have curiosity enough 
to trace it, as I had, can very readily do so. There 
is a spring on the Cooper farm near to which this 
road passed, and tradition says, that the wagoners 
used frequently to stop there to water their horses 
and refresh themselves. The new meeting-house stood 
near to this road, Avliich is spoken of in old records, 
as " The Meeting-house Road." 

Another road ran on the brow of the hill from the 
neighborhood of the present village of Parkesburg, 
which was used by the people going to the new house 
from that direction, and another road led northward 
from near the graveyard, towards the late residence 
of William Parke. 

The two meeting-houses, the old and the new, Avere 
about one mile distant from each other. 

About the 3^ear 1740, Messrs. John Filson, William 
Hanna, Francis Boggs, James Blelock and others, 
members of Upper Octorara residing in East Fallow- 
field township and vicinity, and who sympathized 
with the New Side, erected a house of w^orship at Doe 
Run on the Strasburg road, in that • township, and 
were organized into a congregation under the name of 
the " Doe Run Presbyterian Church." They had 
supplies from the New^ Side Presbytery of New Castle, 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 59 

until about the year 1747, when the Rev. Andrew 
Sterling became their pastor, in connection with the 
Second Congregation of Octorara. 

About the year 1743, the Rev. George Whitefield, 
in the course of his visitations to the churches in this 
county, preached at Doe Run, and also at the New 
Side Church of Upper Octorara. There was a large 
board tent at Octorara, which stood on the brow of 
the hill a short distance west of the graveyard, in 
which he preached. His voice was very strong, and 
it is said, he could be distinctly heard at Thomas 
Trumans — where the late Cyrus Cooper resided. 

Mr. Sterling was the pastor of these two churches 
until the year 1765, — a period of about eighteen 
years. As a preacher, he is said to have possessed 
much power; but he was of an impetuous disposition 
and very much disposed to have his own way, and in 
the later years of his ministry he was frequently 
involved in difficulties with his session and the people 
of his congregations. In 1761, he was complained 
of for not calling his session together more frequently, 
and consulting them in regard to the affairs of the 
church ; for not being more thorough and regular in 
catechizing the congregations, and also for refusing 
to make proper settlements with the f)eople, that 
they might know how much of his stipend was 
unpaid. 

The Presbytery met at his church at Octorara on 
several occasions to adjust these difficulties, with but 
ill success. He became very deaf, and this, with his 
growing infirmities, was his excuse for not being more 



60 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

attentive to his duties, and for neglecting to attend 
the meetings of the judicatories of the Church. 

At length, he was arraigned before Presbytery on 
account of some occurrences not necessary to be de- 
tailed here, and on the 24th of April, 1765, was de- 
posed from the office of the ministry. 

He resided within the bounds of the congregation 
of Doe Run, and died in West Marlborough township 
in August, 1765, about four months after his deposi- 
tion. He was married, but left no descendants. I 
can give no account of his relations, except that a 
brother, James Sterling, was concerned in the settle- 
ment of his estate. He was a native of Ireland. 

After his deposition, the churches to which he had 
ministered asked for supplies, and the Rev. John 
Blair of Faggs Manor, and Rev. John Carmichael of 
the Forks of Brandywine, were appointed to visit 
them in that capacity. 

The Rev. Adam Boyd, having, as already observed, 
been deserted by a majority of his congregation, ac- 
cepted a call on the 11th of August, 1741, from the 
portion of the church of the Forks of Brandywine 
who adhered to the Old Side — that church having 
also been divided — and who offered him £20 for one 
half of his time. From this period until the year 
1758, he ministered to the Old Side portions of both 
Upper Octorara and the Forks of Brandywine, giving 
to each, one half of his time. In the latter year, the 
two branches at Brandywine united,. and his pastoral 
relation to that church was dissolved. He continued 
to be the pastor of the Old Side Congregation at 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 61 

Gctorara, they, from the time his connection with 
Brandywine ceased, paying him for two thirds of his 
time. 

The division in the church at Lirge, which had ex- 
isted since 1741, was healed in the year 1758, and 
the two bodies became one. The First and Second 
Presbyteries of New Castle were united, and Mr. 
Boyd, who had theretofore, since its formation in 1732, 
been a member of Donegal Presbytery, was joined to 
New Castle. 

The First and Second Congregations of Octorara, 
however, continued to remain distinct congregations 
for a period of ten years after the union of the Synods, 
although many of the members of the Second Church 
returned to the First Church during this period. 

On the 19th of January, 1768, the Second Con- 
gregation of Upper Octorara, and the congregation at 
Doe Run, which had together been under the pastoral 
care of Mr. Sterling, united in calling the Rev. Wil- 
liam Foster, who had been licensed by the Presby- 
tery of New Castle on the 21st of April, 1767, and 
had supplied their pulpits a portion of the interven- 
ing period. The call was placed in his hands by the 
Presbytery, and held by him under consideration. 

At a meeting of Presbytery held April 20, 1768, 
Mr. Boyd represented his inability to minister to 
his people as formerly, by reason of feeble health, 
and requested as many supplies for his pulpit as could 
reasonably be granted. 

Soon after this, measures were taken for the coali- 
tion of the two congregations. Mr. Boyd's people, 



62 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

« 

with his approbation, harmoniously concurred in the 
call already extended to Mr. Foster by the other con- 
gregation ; the calls were accepted by Mr. Foster, and 
on the 19th of Octol)er, 1768, he was duly ordained 
and installed as pastor of the "United Congregation 
of Upper Octorara," and also of the congregation of 
Doe Run, giving to the latter one-fourth of his time. 
The Rev. Robert Smith, of Pequea, presided at the 
ordination, — Mr. Boyd being present, and taking part 
in the services. 

Mr. Boyd's pastoral relation was not formally dis- 
solved, and the congregation agreed to pay him £25 
yearly, during his life. He survived however but a 
little over a month, and died Nov. 23, 1768, at the 
age of seventy-six years; forty-four of which he was 
pastor of this church. He was buried in yonder 
graveyard — tradition says — on the spot where the 
pulpit of the log church stood, in which he preached 
during the early part of his ministry. His widow 
survived till November 9, 1779. The stone covering 
his remains records, that he was "eminent through 
life for modest piety, diligence in his office, prudence, 
equanimity and peace." 

He was a man of great exactness, and kept an ac- 
count book full of minute memoranda, commencing in 
1741, and extending down to his last days. In those 
times, the minister collected his stipends himself, and 
in this volume, he records the payments of each sub- 
scriber, whether in mone}', produce or otherwise, with 
the offsets, the times of their death or removal, and 
the attending circumstances. His salar}^ was not 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 63 

large. During a part of his ministry, it did not ex- 
ceed £30 from this congregation, and at no time, did 
it much, if any, exceed £60. This was doubtless 
added to by the other congregations, which from time 
to time he had under his charge. 

The circumstances of the people were limited, and 
while they could not contribute largely to his support, 
they seem to have been uniformly commendable in 
fulfilling their promises, and several remembered him 
in their dying testaments by small bequests. 

In his preparation for the pulpit, he used a sort of 
short-hand. The book I have referred to, contains 
several of his sermons thus written. 

He was accustomed to visit the families of his con- 
gregation, and as the roads in those days, were to 
some extent mere bridle-paths, and riding vehicles 
had not come into use. he frequently made these 
journeys on foot. On such occasions — at least in his 
later days — he carried a cane, which has been pre- 
served in the family, and has been handed down from 
father to son, in one branch of his descendants to the 
j)resent time, and which, through the kindness of the 
present possessors of it, I am permitted to exhibit to 
you to-day. The lower part, as you will see, is 
somewhat worn — caused, it is said, by his striking it 
through the crusted snow. As he died in 1768, one 
hundred and two years ago, this cane has an age of 
probably a century and a quarter. 

An instance of Mr. Boyd's honesty has been 
transmitted — that having a horse, fine looking, but 
unruly, he took him to a neighboring vendue to sell; 



64 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

the ciyer began to praise him, and set off his good 
properties, much in the modern style, but the old 
gentleman rebuked him, saying it was not so, that if 
he had been such a horse, he never would have 
thought of parting with him; and told the bidders 
the faults of the animal, and the occasion of his offer- 
ing him for sale. 

Adam Bojd left five sons and six daughters. The 
eldest, John, is said to have been licensed to preach, 
and to have died young. Thomas settled on a plan- 
tation conveyed to him by his father, embracing the 
eastern portion of his lands already referred to, ad- 
joining this church property on the north, and which 
— now divided into two farms — ^is still in the posses- 
sion of his descendants. 

Andrew remained upon the homestead; was active 
during the war of the revolution, held a commission 
as Colonel, and was for a time Lieutenant of the 
county of Chester. His duties in this office, were, 
to call out, equip and forward troops as they were 
needed, and to have the general oversight within the 
county, of supplying and sustaining the army in the 
field. His apj^ointment to such a position shows the 
estimation in which he was held. He died March 23, 
1786, at the age of forty-six years. Among his 
descendants, are Rev. Andrew Boyd Cross, of Balti- 
more, and the widow of the late Rev. Richard Web- 
ster, of Mauch Chunk. 

Adam, another son, resided in Wilmington, North 
Carolina, and commenced the "Cape Fear jNIercury," 
in October, 1767. He was a true friend of liberty, 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 65 

and was a leading member of the "Committee of 
Safety." In 1776, lie exchanged the press for the 
pulpit, and was chaplain of the North Carolina brigade. 

Samuel, the youngest son, entered Mr. McDowell's 
school at Elk, in the summer of 1760, and became a 
student in the College of Philadelphia in 1764. He 
entered on the practice of medicine and removed to 
Virginia. 

Of the daughters of Rev. Adam Boyd, Margaret mar- 
ried the Rev. Joseph Tate ; Janet, the Rev. Robert 
McMordrie; and Agnes, the Rev. Samson Smith. 

His marriage-portions to his daughters were large, 
according to the notions of that day, and show the 

thoughtfulness, as well as the liberality of the pa- 
rents j — thus, on the marriage of his eldest daughter, 
he gave her, besides a silk gown, a bed and its furni- 
ture, a horse and saddle, and nearly every article for 
housekeeping, all of which are carefully entered in 
his book. 

How he managed to raise a family of five sons and 
six daughters, with the small stipend he received, 
and on a poor farm, in the condition agriculture was 
in at that time; educating two of his sons for the 
ministry, and one as a physician, and giving to each 
of his other sons a large plantation, besides portions 
to his daughters, is more than I can divine. I im- 
agine there are few in our day that could do it. It 
is true, that money was more valuable then than now, 
but not so much so as we might suppose, as many of 
the necessaries of life commanded more than they do 
at the present day. 



66 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The union of the two branches of Octorara under 
one pastorate, does not appear, at first, to have been 
with the entire concurrence of the Ncav Side. Some 
of them refused for a time, to worship with the 
united congregation, and received therefor the cen- 
sure of the Presbytery. They gradually however, in 
time, became reconciled to the new order of things. 

One of the first acts of the united congregation, 
was to obtain patents from the proprietaries for the 
lands belonging to theiil, and which had theretofore 
been held by warrant and survey. A warrant had 
been taken out by the Rev. Adam Boyd, dated May 
25, 1743, for the lands occupied by the congregation 
of which he was pastor, and a survey made in pursu- 
ance thereof. A patent was granted for these lands 
on the 26th of April, 1769, to the Rev. William 
Foster, William Clingan, Hugh Cowan and John 
Fleming, they having been designated by the con- 
gregation to receive a patent and to hold the same, 
as expressed therein, "for the purpose of erecting. and 
continuing a church or house of religious worship, for the 
use of the united congregation at Octorara, in Sads- 
bury township, and their descendants and successors, 
in such manner as the majority of the congregation 
shall, from time to time, order, direct and appoint." 
The tract — according to the patent — contains nine 
acres and one hundred and thirty-eight perches, and 
allowance — the actual contents, according to a more 
recent survey, being eleven acres and fifty perches — 
and is the one now occupied by the congregation.* 

* See Appendix C. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 67 

The tract of twenty-five acres and allowance on 
the north valley hill, for Avhich a warrant had been 
granted to Hugh Cowan, John Robb and John Hen- 
derson, on the 10th of February, 1743, for the use 
of the New Side portion of Octorara, and survey 
thereof made January 30, 1744, was, by direction of 
the united congregation, patented on the 7th of June, 
1769, to Joseph Cowan and Hugh Cowan, "in trust 
to and for the use of the United Congregation of 
Presbyterians at Octorara." 

In those days, when lands were taken up, names 
were frequently given to them. Accordingly, the 
tract on which this church stands, Avas patented by 
the name of "Union," — probably in commemoration 
of the union of the two congregations, — and the 
twenty-five acre tract was called "Fellowship." 

The union of the congregations, rendered it neces- 
sary that they should have increased accommodations 
for public worship, neither of their houses having 
sufficient capacity, and accordingly about the year 
1769, they proceeded to enlarge the house on the 
grounds of the first congregation, by extending it 
w^estward about thirty-five feet, thus making it in 
size, about forty-two by seventy feet. In this ex- 
tension, they simply used the north, east, and south 
walls of the old building — the floor, roof, and every 
other part being entirely new — so that the enlarged 
building was substantially a new one, and was the 
third meeting-house erected on these grounds. ~ 

In an old document in my possession, speaking of 
this building, it is stated that " when the first and 



68 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

second congregations united into one body, they 
built a large and convenient stone church on the 
grounds of the first congregation, the ancient place 
from the first settlement of the gospel in this part of 
the country." 

The carpenter work was probably done by Samuel 
McClellan, the ancestor of the present family of that 
name in this congregation, who had removed into 
this township from Newtown township, Delaware 
County, about the year 1763, and settled where his 
grandson James L. McClellan, now resides. He was 
a joiner by trade, but did carpenter work. It is cer- 
tain that he built the pews. He would make as many 
at a time as his shop would conveniently hold, and 
then haul them to the church and put them up. On 
one occasion, while he was thus engaged, his shop 
took fire and was burned, and with it about .£60 
worth of work, besides the materials. 

It may be interesting to describe this third church 
building more minutely, as it was the one in wdiich 
our fathers worshipped for many years, and for its 
day, was one of more than ordinary elegance. 

The building — as already observed — was about 
seventy feet in length from east to west, and about 
forty-two in width from north to south. The south 
wall — which was the front of the building — was what 
is called range Avork, pointed with black or dark col- 
ored mortar, and then penciled white, and as I recol- 
lect it, presented a very fine appearance. The walls 
Avere about sixteen feet in height to the square, and 
twenty feet to the centre of the ceiling, which was 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 69 

arched. There were three doors of entrance for the 
congregation; the main one, in the centre of the south 
side, and one in each end, east and west. The south 
door had over it a heavy cornice. The windows 
were hirge, arched, and had very small panes of glass. 
The pulpit stood on the north side, facing the south 
or main door. An aisle, some seven or eight feet 
wide, ran the length of the church from east to west, 
about one-third of the distance across the room from 
the north side, and another wide aisle. from the main 
door to this cross-aisle. There were also two small 
blind aisles, as they might be termed, running from 
the east and west aisle to the south wall. The num- 
ber of pews was fifty-eight. There were four rows 
facing the north or pulpit side, with seven pews in 
each, and on each side of the pulpit there were twelve 
pews, extending from the long aisle to the north wall. 
Those on each side of the aisle running from the main 
door, and those on the north side of the east and west 
aisle, were quite long, and were frequently occupied 
by two families. There were also six square pews, 
three on each side of the church, against the east and 
west walls, and south of the long aisle. They were 
entered from the blind aisles referred to. All the 
pews had high jDcrpendicular backs, in accordance 
with the notion of the times. The pulpit — a neat 
piece of workmanship for that day — was square and 
closed, and would hold three persons. It stood quite 
high, although not so much so as the most of 
pulpits of that day, and was surmounted by a huge 
sounding board. A small door opened into the closed 



70 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

space underneath it. The pulpit was painted white; 
the pews were unpainted. 

In front of the puljiit there was a large square 
pew, with seats around three sides of it. This was 
called the elders' pew, and on communion Sabbaths, 
and sometimes on other occasions, it was occupied by 
them. The precentor, or derh, as he was usually 
called, had his seat there, and it was also fre- 
quently occupied by persons whose hearing was 
dull. 

In addition to the outer doors referred to, there 
was a small door on the north side, more especially 
designed for the convenience of the minister, which 
opened into a double pew, on the west side of the 
pulpit, and out of which pew the stairs led to the 
pulpit. There was a window over this door, from 
which the pulpit was lighted. 

A table stood in the elders' pew, which on com- 
munion occasions was placed in the long aisle in front 
of the pulpit, and the communion elements placed 
upon it. This table — a relic of the past, and having 
an age of over one hundred years — has been pre- 
served, and may now be seen in the lecture room of 
this church. It is forty-eight inches long, and 
twenty-nine inches wide. 

The communion was administered in the long aisle, 
at tables, on each side of which the communicants 
seated themselves. 

After the completion of the new building, the 
united congregation agreed to sell twenty-four acres 
of the Fellowship tract, reserving two acres and a 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 71 

half ill the southeast corner, (being the remaining 
acre and the allowance of six per cent.,) on which 
were the meeting-house, session-house, and graveyard. 
The trustees, who held the title of the lands, disre- 
garded the wishes of the congregation in this respect, 
and sold and conveyed to James Sharp, by deed 
dated 22d December, 1769, all of said tract, except 
a piece in the southeast corner, six and a half perches 
by twelve perches. A controA^ersy arose about the 
matter, which was referred to six of the members of 
the adjoining congregations of Faggs Manor and 
Forks of Brandywine for settlement. The difficul- 
ties were finally adjusted, on the recommendation of 
the referees, by James Sharp re-conveying to the 
trustees the surplus over the twenty-four acres in- 
tended to be sold. This reconveyance was made 
May 8, 1772. The proceeds of the lands thus sold 
to Sharp were applied to liquidate the debt incurred 
in erecting the new church. 

The congregation subsequently sold all of the re- 
served lands, except about one-fourth of an acre, in- 
cluding the burial ground, the title to which remains 
in this church. 

The frame meeting-house was sold to Joseph Park, 
Esq., in the year 1772, and removed by him to where 
the barn now stands, on the property lately owned 
by Evan Jones, and was used for purposes connected 
with the tannery for some years. It gradually went 
to decay, and soon after the year 1811, was torn 
down. 

The stone session-house was used for some time as 



72 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

a tenement by the owners of the land on which it 
stood, but it has long since disappeared. 

The only remaining landmark to designate this 
interesting spot is the graveyard. That is about 
twenty-five yards square, and is enclosed with a sub- 
stantial stone wall. It contains nineteen headstones, 
recording the deaths of twenty-three persons, and 
there are graves with nothing to tell who is resting 
therein. Indeed, the yard appears to be pretty well 
filled. The oldest memorial is that of Joseph Wilson, 
who died in the year 1751.* 

These old burial grounds which are no longer used, 
are so generally neglected and suffered to go to decay, 
that it is pleasing to observe that this is an exception, 
and that it has recently received proper attention at 
the hands of the trustees. The ancestors of many of 
the present members of this and neighboring churches 
lie there, and their descendants should guard their 
dust with jealous care. 

I would also in this connection suggest to the 
trustees of this church the propriety of erecting a 
simple memorial stone to mark the site of the old 
frame meeting-house. I am sure the present 2)ro- 
prietor of the lands will cordially give his assent. It 
stood a short distance northwest of the graveyard, 
and its location can now be readily pointed out. In 
a few years, all knowledge of it will have passed 
from the minds of men. 

The Rev. William Foster was born in Little Britain 
township, Lancaster county, in 1740. He was of 

* See Appendix I. 



• HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 73 

Scotch-Irish stock, and son of Alexander Foster, who 
had removed from the County Derry, in the north of 
Ireland, some years before, and settled in that town- 
ship. He was graduated at the College of New 
Jersey in 1764, having for his cotemporaries in that 
institution David Ramsay, the historian, Judge Jacob 
Rush, Oliver Ellsworth, Nathaniel Niles, and Luther 
Martin. He Avas taken under the care of the Pres- 
bytery of New Castle as a probationer for the minis- 
try, October 23, 1766, and, as already observed, was 
licensed by that Presbytery April 21, 1767. 

He was a very popular preacher from the first, as 
is evidenced by the fact that at the next meeting of 
Presbytery after his licensure, the congregations of 
Upper Octorara 2d, Doe Run, Bethel, and Faggs 
Manor, all of which were without pastors, in request- 
ing supplies, asked, as expressed in the minutes of 
Presbytery, "particularly for Mr. Foster," In a 
short time thereafter, he had in his hands three calls, 
one from Upper Octorara and Doe Run ; another from 
Faggs Manor, then recently vacant by the removal 
of Rev. John Blair to Princeton ; and a third from 
White Clay Creek and Head of Christina. He 
accepted the first, and was installed October 19, 
1768, being then about twenty-eight years of age. 

Soon after his licensure, he married Hannah, a 
daughter of Rev. Samuel Blair, formerly of Faggs 
Manor, and a grand-daughter of Lawrence Van Hook, 
Esq., formerly one of the judges of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas of New York, who was among the first 
settlers from the United Netherlands. 

6 



74 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

In December, 1770, Mr. Foster jjurchased from 
John Dickey a farm containing about two hundred 
and fifty acres, to which he removed, and where he 
resided during his life. The mansion house which 
he occupied was that now belonging to the family of 
the late William Parke, a short distance east of this 
church. 

In the Revolution, Mr. Foster engaged heartily in 
the cause of civil liberty, and encouraged all who 
heard him to do their utmost in defence of their 
rights. In the beginning of 1776, he preached a 
very patriotic and stirring sermon to the young men 
of his congregation and neighborhood upon the sub- 
ject of their duty to their country, in its then trying 
situation. One of the young men who heard this 
discourse was Joseph McClellan, the fire of whose 
patriotism was so kindled that he at once resolved to 
engage in the service of his country ; and, by the 
intervention of Mr. Foster and some other friends, 
he received a lieutenant's commission, and joined the 
army. Many of the older members of this congrega- 
tion will remember him in after life as Colonel Joseph 
McClellan, a patriot, a professing Christian, and an 
upright man, and of whose honored name his descend- 
ants may be justly proud. His wife was Kezia, a 
daughter of Joseph Park, and among his descendants 
were Joseph Hemphill and Colonel Thomas S. Bell, 
Jr., members of the Chester County Bar, the last of 
whom lost his life in 1862, while gallantly leading 
his regiment at the battle of Antietam. 

On one occasion, Mr. Foster was called to Lancaster 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 75 

to preach to troops collected there previous to their 
joining the main army. The discourse was so accept- 
able that it was printed and circulated, and did much 
to arouse the spirit of patriotism among the people. 

Indeed, the Presbyterian clergymen generally were 
staunch Whigs, and contributed greatly to keep alive 
the flame of liberty, which our disasters had fre- 
quently caused to be well nigh extinguished in the 
long and unequal contest ; and but for them, it would 
often have been impossible to obtain recruits to keep 
up the forces requisite to oppose a too often victorious 
enemy. Some of them lost their lives, and others 
were driven from their congregations, in consequence 
of their zeal in behalf of their country. 

It was a great object with the British officers to 
silence the Presbyterian preachers as far as possible, 
and with this view they frequently despatched parties 
of light horse into the country to surprise and take 
prisoners unsuspecting clergymen. 

An expedition of this kind was planned against 
Mr. Foster. When he preached to his congregation 
at Doe Run, which was about eight miles distant 
from Octorara, it was his custom always to go 
on Saturday and return on Monday. One Sab- 
bath afternoon he was seen returning home, which 
gave alarm to the family, they conjecturing that 
something very unusual either had taken place, 
or was about to happen. It turned out that he 
had received information that morning at Doe Run 
that a party of British light horse were to leave 
Wilmington in the evening, to take him prisoner and 



76 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

burn Upper Octorara church. The neighbors collected 
and removed his family and library to houses remote 
from the public road. 

The information he had received w^as correct. An 
expedition was actually sent by Sir William Howe 
for that purpose. After proceeding, however, about 
twelve miles on their way, they were informed by a 
tory tavern keeper that their purpose was known, 
and that a few miles further on, parties of militia 
were stationed to intercept them ; on hearing which 
they returned to Wilmington without having accom- 
plished their object. 

Mr. Foster died on the 30th of September, 1780, 
at the age of forty years, having been pastor of this 
church, in connection with Doe Run, about twelve 
years. He had been preaching, and on his walk 
home was overtaken by a heavy rain, which brought 
on the attack that terminated his life. 

He was a brother-in-law of the Rev. John Car- 
michael, at that time pastor of the church of Forks of 
Brandywine. The Rev. Dr. Robert Smith, of Pequea, 
was an uncle of Mrs. Foster, he having married a 
sister of Mrs. Foster's father, the Rev. Samuel Blair. 
Soon after Mr. Foster's death, Mr. Carmichael ad- 
dressed a letter to Dr. Smith, containing a statement 
of his religious exercises during his last illness. 
This letter is so interesting, and portrays so fully the 
beloved character of Mr. Foster that I am sure you 
will pardon me for presenting it to you. It reads 
thus : 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 77 

Rev. and Dear Sir : — 

As you were abroad a considerable distance on important busi- 
ness at the time of the sickness and much lamented death of my 
dear brother-in-law, the Rev. William Foster, and since you have 
been informed that he left this world in a very happy frame of 
mind, and you wish to know the particulars, and what I heard him 
say with his dying lips on his death-bed, I very readily comply 
with your desire; for notwithstanding the subject is in itself 
melancholy, yet I bless God I have it in my power to send you 
such an account of the blessed and unusually happy state of his 
precious soul in his sickness, and at his dissolution, as cannot fail 
to be refreshing to every one that loves our Lord Jesus Christ in 
sincerity ; for, '• blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." 

As soon as I heard of his illness, I went to see him, and, from 
the bad color of his skin and heavy fever, I was afraid the cons-e- 
quence might prove fatal. But Mr. Foster himself did not appre- 
hend much danger. After much conversation, and after we had 
prayed together, I returned home, and in a few days heard he was 
worse, which I indeed much feared would be the case. I went to 
see him again, and was alarmed to find his disease had increased 
much during the short time of my absence. I told him my fear, 
that he would be taken from us ; while at the same time I felt 
much difficulty in being resigned to such a step of divine provi- 
dence, as both church and state needed the exercise of his valuable 
talents. Mr. Foster said he was more apprehensive that his dis- 
order might terminate in his dissolution than at first ; but said he, 
" The will of Grod be done. Whatever my great Master God and 
Saviour Jesus Christ does is right ; and blessed be his name, I am 
not afraid to meet death." 

We entered into a free conversation on the state of religion in 
our own and the neighboring churches around us. Mr. Foster 
observed, that although his own pastoral charges and the congre- 
gations contiguous were no doubt in a declining state of religion, 
and did just now partake of the present declension of the day; 
yet we ought to bless God it was no worse with us than it was, 
when we consider how much the divine influence of God, the Holy 
Spirit, is withdrawn from the means of grace in general, and the 



78 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

many and strange temptations which these times throw in the way 
of real piety and true holiness. He said that his people, con- 
sidered as a congregation, were both solemn and attentive in time 
of public worship, and discovered much affection to him as their 
pastor ; that he felt in himself much outgoing of Christian love 
and affection to them : that in his public labors in his Divine 
Master's service, both at home and abroad, he had much greater 
freedom and enlargement of soul in the real things of God and 
eternal life than usual j which was exceedingly refreshing to him, 
so that he found himself really fed with divine things, while 
he was breaking the bread of life to others ; and that this had 
been his happy case for some time past. 

I then returned home, full of fears that Mr. Foster would soon 
be removed from us by death ; and I found that there was too 
much cause for my fears, as a messenger was sent to request me to 
come and see him, as he was supposed to be near his end. I came, 
but as too much company weakened him, I did not go in where he 
lay, or let him know I was come. But after a little, being sensi- 
ble that his dissolution was near, I was anxious to see him, and 
converse with him about affiiirs of infinite moment, as he was on 
the verge of eternity, and in the full exercise of his rational 
powers. 

I therefore desired Mrs. Foster to tell my dear brother that I 
was come. He was glad to hear it, and desired to see me. I was 
much affected to see him so much reduced in his outward man, 
attended with so many evidences of the near approach of death. 
He took me very affectionately by the hand, and held it. I said 
to him, inasmuch as you are too weak to speak much, I wish you 
only to answer the few questions I will ask you, by a sign, or yes or 
no, or a word or two, as you feel yourself able. 

I asked him, as you are now on the very brink of the eternal 
world, and in a few hours to appear before the great God, to 
answer for the deeds done in the body, how do you feel in your 
soul, and what are your hopes of eternal life ? He answered, that 
although it was very difficult for him to speak much, yet he would 
do all in his power for the best of Masters, in leaving testimony 
for him and his precious truths with his last breath, and would 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 79 

not have us stop him from speaking, although it might seem to 
hurt him. " What I shall say," he said, " you may depend on as sin- 
cere and from the heart, as I can be under no temptation to deceive j 
for I am a dying man, and now die in the full belief of the truth 
and vast importance of those doctrines of grace which I have been 
preaching to mankind, and I do now with my dying breath give 
my testimony to them as true. I am venturing my soul on their 
veracity with the greatest cheerfulness ; and adored be my God 
and Saviour for it. I do now feel, on this my death-bed, their 
application by the blessed spirit to my soul. I do find, by a most 
inexpressible experience, that while my outward man is decaying, 
my inward man is gathering strength every moment; and the 
nearer my approach to death and eternity, the greater my joy, 
insomuch that I find all those sweet, precious promises of eternal 
life dispersed through the holy, dear book of Grod harmonizing for 
my divine consolation, by the spirit's application of them to my 
soul. And I now feed on them by faith, so that I am not able to 
tell the thousandth part of the joy and evangelical consolation, 
and real comfort my soul feels, and which has been increasing in 
my heart since the beginning of this sickness, even to this hour, 
like a stream of the water of the river of life flowing in a growing 
tide to my soul. Oh ! how shall I praise and sufiiciently adore my 
God, my Saviour and my Jesus, my all and in all I" He then 
paused, and I asked him if he had not at times some fears and 
doubts lest his heart should deceive him in this great eternal 
aiFair. He replied " In my early days, and in my youth, under 
the gospel, I had many alarms and awful fears through the con- 
viction I then had of the natural badness of my heart ; and the 
more powerful and clear the sermon I heard, the more I was con. 
vinced of my undone state by nature. But I had a great desire 
to be a preacher of the precious gospel of Jesus Christ to the 
world ; yet felt an exceedingly great terror at times, more especially 
lest I should preach an unknown Christ. I importuned heaven to 
save me from such a judgment; and forever adored be the Lord 
Jesus Christ, my divine Master, for he was pleased to answer my 
prayers. He was graciously pleased to reveal himself in a saving 
manner to my soul, so that, after the experience of a number of 



80 UrPER OCTORAEA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

years, I have reason to know with much gospel confidence, that 
what I called my convictions at the time of my soul's closure with 
Christ, and the very solemn exercise of my heart, was not a delu- 
sion, but a great reality. I have not been preaching an unknown 
Christ. I know in whom I have believed, and that he is able to 
keep that which I have committed to him against the last day. I 
now tell you on my death-bed, that the divine beauty, harmony, 
moral excellency, and heavenly sweetness of the way of salvation 
for sinners of mankind through the Lord Jesus Christ, did con- 
tinue to grow and increase to my view from the time of my con- 
version until this solemn moment." He then paused, and I asked 
him if he was not at times aifected with the prevalency of a self- 
righteous spirit. He replied, that he found that spirit at times a 
very sore enemy to keep in subjection, but that just now he happily 
found himself enabled to rest wholly on the Lord Jesus Christ and 
his righteousness ; and he felt himself so happily relieved from the 
enemy as to be full of joy and divine consolation. I then asked 
him which he would choose, if it was at his option just now, either 
to live or die. He answered, that he had no choice to make : 
God's choice was his ; so that he could say from the heart, " Thy 
will be done on earth as it is in heaven." If the King of Zion 
chose to continue him longer on earth to serve him, he would say. 
Amen ; and would wish to preach again to souls, as one from the 
dead ; but to depart and be with Christ was far better. There 
was nothing on earth worth enjoying compared to the heavenly 
glories, and death was but the partition wall between God's chil- 
dren and infinite happiness, suited to the nature of an immortal 
soul. All that the earth calls good and great, with all its possible 
splendor, is but dust in the balance when put in competition with 
divine things, and viewed in the light of eternity, as he now 
viewed them ; and all their false appearances vanish as darkness 
before the rising day of the glory of Immanuel's land. He then 
said, " Oh ! how sweet is the gospel of Jesus Christ and its divine 
truths just now to my soul." He then paused, and I asked him 
if he did not find it difficult to part with his dear wife and little 
children. He answered, that the ties of nature were very binding, 
and their dissolution hard to be borne, but that the God of nature 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 81 

had a right to rend those bonds and ties, how or when he pleased. 
Death, said he, must separate us some time, and God's time is the 
best. I have no fear but God will take care of my widow and my 
fatherless children. God tells me, in Jeremiah xlix. 11, "Leave 
thy fatherless children ; I will preserve them alive ; and let thy 
widows trust in me." This is like a bill of exchange put into my 
hand by the Great Secretary of heaven, God the Holy Ghost, to 
draw on the bank of heaven for the support of my family after my 
decease. I rely upon it, and do you think it will be protested ? 
No, it cannot, except through infidelity on the part of the de- 
pendents, which they must guard against if they wish to be happy. 
I do cheerfully commit my earthly concerns of every kind into 
the hands of the great Messiah, Jesus Christ, who has all power in 
heaven and on earth ; to whom I commit my soul triumphing ; for 
I am certain that all things shall work together for good finally to 
God's people. Many more things he said of the same heavenly 
kind and strain, which showed how full his soul was of God, how 
empty of self, and how much his conversation was in heaven. 

I then took my leave of him in the most affectionate manner, 
and hastened home to bring Mrs. Carmichael to see him, if she 
could once more in this world ; but our ears were struck with the 
melancholy news of his death, on the road, by a messenger sent to 
inform us. We came to Bochim, the place of weeping; and I was 
told by those who were present, that his happy frame of soul con- 
tinued, and even increased, to the last moments of his life. A few 
hours before his departure, he called Mr. Sample* to his bedside 
and said, " You see, my dear sir, that I am grappling with the 
king of terrors; and justly is he so called; for to die is indeed a 
solemn thing. But this is the gate by which we must enter in : 
and, blessed be my God, I am not afraid to pass the Jordan of 
death. My Joshua has gone before. Oh, how comfortable to 
have a God to go to in such an hour ! And let me now, my dear 
sir, in your presence, give my testimony with my dying breath to 
God's truths ; that it is alone in true religion that real comfort is 
to be found ; that God's favor and loving kindness, in this trying 

* Nathaniel W. Sample, a student of theology under his care. 



82 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 

hour, will be found better than life itself. Oh, sir, remember the 
infinite importance of the work in which you are engaged. It 
may appear important to you now, but when, like me, you are just 
launching into the world of spirits, and have eternity in full view, 
it will appear infinitely more so. With respect to the dear people 
of my charge, it would be one of the foremost things to make life 
desirable to have an opportunity of meeting with them once more, 
to declare to them the counsels of heaven with the emphasis of 
death and eternity on my lips, as I now feel them, and so, if possi- 
ble, to press on them more closely those important realities which 
belong to their everlasting peace ; but infinite wisdom has deter- 
mined otherwise. I still hope that God has something great and 
good in store for Octorara : therefore, my dear sir, when I am 
sleeping in the dust, do you deliver this message to the dear people 
of my charge as the last words of their dying pastor to them, that 
when I was just launching into the eternal world, and had it in 
full view, and just appearing before their and my great, eternal, 
and just Judge, my conscience then bore testimony that I never 
had concealed from them any of the divine counsels with which I 
was intrusted, and which was necessary for them to know, nor had 
I ever delivered to them a doctrine but on the veracity of which I 
can venture my own salvation, and that those very important truths 
which I have delivered to them in life, are now the support of my 
soul and the foundation of my hopes. But inasmuch as infinite 
wisdom has denied them and me an interview until the morning 
of the resurrection, tell them, oh, tell them, from me, just now 
expiring, to prepare to have the solemn account then and there 
settled, before their and my God — I to answer, in what manner, 
from what views, and from what ends I have declared the truth of 
the everlasting gospel to them — they to answer how they have 
heard those truths, and in what manner they have improved 
them." 

As God has fovored him with the full and free use of his reason 
through the whole of his sickness, when he found himself in the 
very jaws of death, lest those about him should think his suflFer- 
ing intolerable, and tend to lessen the idea they ought to have of 
God's love to his dying servants, he said, '' Though my body is so 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 83 

wrought, do not think my burthen too hard to bear; it is not. 
Death is not so hard as I was wont to imagine. I can bear it. 
My Grod supports me in it." He then took leave of his dear wife 
and children, and other tender connections present, in the hope 
of meeting them in a better world, and soon after fell asleep in 
Jesus. 

Death had now executed its office, and had rent asunder the 
bands which united the soul and body ; the latter to rest in the 
grave until the morning of the resurrection ; the former angels 
conveyed into heaven, to dwell forever with its Maker, God. 

Mr. Foster was evidently a man of very superior 
mind, and was much esteemed and respected by all 
who knew him for his solid sense and unaffected 
piety. By his congregation, whom he had united by 
his zeal, talents and piety, after the schism which 
had for many years divided them, he was affection- 
ately beloved, and his death, at an early age, was 
universally lamented. It is evident, from the minutes 
of Presbytery, that he was held in high estimation 
by his ministerial brethren, as his name constantly 
occurs in connection with positions of trust and re- 
sponsibility. He occasionally received under his care 
theological students. The Rev. Nathaniel W. Sample, 
whose name occurs in the letter of Mr. Carmichael, 
which I have just read, and who was the esteemed 
pastor of churches in Lancaster county for forty 
years, was, at the time of Mr. Foster's death, one of 
his students. 

The congregation procured a tombstone to be 
placed over his remains in yonder church-yard, which 
bears the following inscription, written by the Rev. 
Mr. Carmichael : 



84 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

HERE LIES ENTOMBED 
WHAT WAS MORTAL OF THE 

Rev. Mr. WILLIAM FOSTER, 

who departed this life 

Sept. the 30th, 1780, 

IN the 41st year 

OF HIS AGE. 

Foster, of sense profound, flowing in eloquence, 
Of aspect comely, saint without pretence, 
Foster the brave, the wise, the good, thou'st gone 
To reign forever with thy Saviour on his throne, 
And left thy widowed charge to sit and weep alone. 
If grace and gifts like thine a mortal could reprieve 
From the dark regions of the dreary grave, 
Thy friend, dear Shade, would ne'er inscribe thy stone, 
; Nor with the Church's tears have mixed his own. 

Mr. Foster left eight children, four sons and four 
daughters, the oldest about thirteen or fourteen years, 
and the youngest one year of age. His will, exe- 
cuted the day before his death, is in the handwriting 
of William Clingan, Esq., an elder in this church, and 
a man of note, and was witnessed by Rev. John Car- 
michael, Nathaniel W. Sample, and Joseph Park. It 
contains, among others, this proAdsion : " My son 
Samuel to be made a scholar." His executors were 
his widow, Hannah Foster, and his friends William Clin- 
gan and Matthew Boyd. The estate left by him was 
not large in point of value, but Mrs. Foster was a 
very prudent, managing woman, and, under the bless- 
ing of Providence, was enabled to raise her children 
until they were of an age to take care of themselves. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 85 

Mr. Foster, in his lifetime, had sokl a small portion 
of his farm to Joseph Park, Esq., who had other 
property adjoining. In 1790, Mrs. Foster, as execu- 
trix, sold sixty-two acres to Mr. Park, and thirty-six 
acres to Thomas Truman; and in 1793, conveyed to 
her two oldest sons, Samuel B. Foster and Alexander 
W. Foster, the remainder of the land, being about 
one hundred and fifty acres; and they, in 1797, sold 
and conveyed the same to Mr. Park, who thus became 
the owner of the greater portion of the land originally 
owned by Mr. Foster. 

In February, 1779, Mr. Foster had opened a classi- 
cal school, and had as teacher Mr. Francis Hindman 
— afterwards Rev. Francis Hindman — who resided 
with him. This school was in operation at Mr. 
Foster's death, and was carried on by Mr. Hindman 
for about eighteen months thereafter, in all a period 
of three years. I mention this circumstance to show 
that Mr. Foster, a scholar himself, took a deep 
interest in thorough education, and that at that early 
day the classics were taught within the bounds of 
this congregation. 

The appraisement of Mr. Foster's personal effects 
was made in what is known as continental currency, 
and amounted in that currency — then very much de- 
preciated in value — to £26,743. 

In those days, slavery existed in a mild form in 
Pennsylvania, and we find Negro James' time ap- 
praised at £1,200 ; Violet and her child at £4,200 ; 
and Negro WiU at £2,700. 

The library, which contained 104 volumes, besides 



86 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

school books and pamphlets, was appraised at £3.004. 
It sold for £69 in specie. The titles of the books 
owned by him are given in detail in the inventory, 
and show that his library, for that day, was large and 
well selected. 

In 1780, an act of Assembly was passed, providing 
for the gradual abolition of slavery, which required 
the owners of slaves to register their names and ages 
in the office of the clerk of the courts. In accor- 
dance with its provisions, the following registry was 
made by Mr. Foster : 

No. 1. A negro woman named Violet, aged twenty-four years, a 
slave for life. 

No. 2. A negro boy named Will, aged fourteen years, a slave 
for life. 

No. 3. A female negro child, named Jean, aged one year, a slave 
for life. 

In 1796, the entire family removed to Cussawaga, 
(now Meadville) . Two of the sons, Samuel Blair 
Foster and Alexander W. Foster, became members of 
the bar, and w^ere among the most eminent lawyers 
of western Pennsylvania, and were long recognized as 
the leaders of the bar in that part of the State. 
Alexander had been admitted to the bar of Chester 
county, in November, 1793, and in 1796, on his re- 
moval to Cussawaga, became agent of the Holland 
Land Company. He devoted half a century to the 
labors of his profession, and died at Mercer, in 1843. 
Samuel Blair Foster was the father of the Hon. 
Henry D. Foster of Westmoreland, and Alexander 
W. Foster left a son, Alexander W. Foster, Esq., who 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 87 

is now a prominent member of the Pittsbm-g bar. 
William B. Foster, formerly canal commissioner of 
this State, was a descendant of James Foster, a 
brother of the Rev. William Foster. 

Mrs. Foster survived until the 14th of May, 1810, 
when she died, at the residence of a daughter, in Mercer, 
Pa., at the age of sixty-five years. She was distin- 
guished for an equanimity of temper that adorned 
those principles in which she had been educated, and 
which she constantly practiced through life. She saw 
her approaching dissolution with a calm composure 
which nothing could inspire but a review of a life of piety 
and virtue, and full persuasion of another and better 
world. A singular circumstance was connected with 
her decease, which I will relate. On the morning of the 
day she died, one of her sons (Alexander) was at her 
bedside, and observing her lips moving, leaned down 
and asked her what she was saying. Her reply was, 
" It is singular that two sisters should enter heaven's 
gates upon the same day." Upon being asked to ex- 
plain, she was only able to reply, " Sister Carmichael." 
In the course of the day she died ; and after the lapse 
of weeks — for the mails were few in those days — the 
femily heard for the first time of the illness and death 
of their aunt, the widow of Rev. John Carmichael, 
Avho had died on the same day with her sister, Mrs. 
Foster. I have no theory to broach with reference 
to the subject suggested by this incident. I simply 
relate the occurrence, which is well authenticated. 

I have spoken of Mrs. Foster as a daughter of Rev. 
Samuel Blair, formerly of Faggs Manor. Mr. Blair 



\ 



88 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

was eminently distinguished for his talents, piety and 
usefulness in the Church, and was esteemed one of 
the most able, learned, and excellent men of his day. 
He established a classical school at Faggs Manor, 
which had j)^i'ticular reference to the study of 
theology, and from which eminated many distin- 
guished pupils, who did honor to their instructor, 
both as scholars and Christian ministers, among whom 
may be mentioned the Rev. Samuel Davies, called in 
his day " the prince of preachers," and who was one 
of the presidents of the College of New Jersey ; the 
Rev. John Rodgers, for a long time an eminent 
minister in New York ; and Rev. Robert Smith, of 
Pequea, the father of Samuel Stanhope Smith and 
John Blair Smith, all eminent as scholars and divines. 
Mr. Blair's daughters married respectively Rev. 
George Duffield, Rev. David Rice, of Kentucky, Rev. 
John Carmichael, of Forks of Brandywine, Rev. 
William Foster, of Upper Octorara, Dr. Samuel 
Edmiston, a physician of Faggs Manor, Mr. James 
Moore, a farmer, and a Mr. Sanderson, a merchant. 
I may be permitted to refer to Mr. Carmichael, 
as «, man who possessed a mind of more than 
ordinary comprehensiveness and energy, and as an 
eloquent, laborious and faithful minister. In the 
Revolution, he was an earnest and uncompromising 
friend of American liberty, and did much to animate 
the drooping spirit of the people, during the whole of 
that contest. He succeeded in instilling the princi- 
ples of patriotism into the minds of the people to 
whom he ministered to such an extent that when 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 89 

they were called upon to serve their country, not a 
man capable of bearing arms hesitated or faltered, 
and, in their absence, it devolved upon the old men, 
women and children to attend to the ordinary farm 
work. Mr. Carmichael's will, which is on record in 
the register's office of Chester county, contains a 
synopsis of the doctrines and polity of the Presby- 
terian Church, as given in her standards, and an ex- 
pression of his belief in them. It is a curious docu- 
ment. 

Mr. Foster was succeeded as pastor of the united 
congregations of Upper Octorara and Doe Run by 
Rev. Alexander Mitchel, who was installed at Octo- 
rara December 14, 1785, giving Doe Run one-fourth 
of his time. The congregation had in the meantime 
received supplies from Pi'esbytery, those most fre- 
quently appointed being the Rev. Robert Smith, of 
Pequea, and Rev. John Carmichael, of Forks of 
Brandy wine. 

Mr. Mitchel was born in 1731, graduated at the 
College of New Jersey in 17G5, was licensed in April, 
1767, and ordained in November, 1768. Previous to 
coming to Octorara and Doe Run, he had been pastor 
of the church of Deep Run, in Bucks county. He 
was fifty-four years of age, and had been eighteen 
years in the ministry when he became pastor of this 
church. 

He purchased from Colonel Andrew Boyd one 
hundred and fifty acres of the farm formerly of Rev. 
Adam Boyd, including the buildings, and removed 
there in the spring of 1786. Colonel Boyd then re- 

7 



90 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

moved to that part of the property now known as the 
Armstrong farm, where he resided until his death. 

To\vards the close of Mr. Foster's pastorate, an 
improvement was made in the music of the sanctuary. 
Rouse's version of the Psalms Avas then in use, and 
the precentor confined himself to a very few well 
known tunes, so that there was not much variety in 
the singing. The young folks, however, had begun 
to visit Philadelphia, and had picked up ideas in ad- 
vance of their seniors, and in course of time, through 
their influence, the old precentor or clerk, who led 
the singing, was placed upon the retired list, and a 
new and younger one installed, with the view of in- 
troducing new tunes. These intended innovations 
upon the established order of things of course occa- 
sioned considerable discussion. As a general rule, 
the older members preferred the few tunes they had 
been accustomed to from childhood, and which, with 
them, were surrounded with an air of sanctity ; while 
the junior members, who had no particular reverence 
for the " good old ways," upheld the new measures. 
On the first Sabbath that the new state of aftairs was 
inaugurated, when the precentor rose to lead the 
singing, and opened with a new tune. Elder James 
Glendenning, who sat in the elders' pew in front of 
the pulpit, arose, and, with mournful visage and slow 
and solemn step, walked out of the house. That 
tune was known for some time thereafter among the 
young folks as " Glendenning's March." 

Soon after Mr. Mitchel became pastor, the congrega- 
tion took another step in advance, by introducing 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 91 

Watts' Psalms and Hymns in place of Rouse's version 
of the Psalms, which up to this period had been in 
use. In this, the congregation were quite in advance 
of other Presbyterian churches, as generally Rouse's 
version continued to be used until a much later 
period. 

In 1790, the wall of the graveyard, which had 
become dilapidated, was rebuilt. The yard was at 
the same time enlarged on the north side by rebuild- 
ing the wall about twenty feet further to the north. 
You can see at the present day where the old wall 
stood on that side. The trustees of the church who 
had charge of this rebuilding, were Samuel McClellan, 
Arthur Park, Thomas Heslip, Joseph Park, and 
Joseph Gardner. The mason work was done by 
Robert McClellan, a son of Samuel McClellan, one of 
the trustees. The ground thus enclosed was about 
fifty-seven yards in front by seventy-one yards deep, 
and contained about one hundred and thirty-five 
square perches, and remained of this size until it was 
again enlarged after the erection of the present church 
building. On one of the upright stones at the side of 
the entrance, Mr. McClellan, the mason, carved the 
initials of his name, " R. McC," and underneath them 
the date, " 1790." That stone forms one of the sides 
of the present gateway, and bears the initials and 
date I have mentioned. 

We obtain a knowledge of the principal families 
that formed the congregation at this period, from the 
list of the subscribers to the building of this wall, 
which contains about sixty names. The amount sub- 



92 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

.scribed was £35, besides a considerable amount in 
labor and use of teams.* 

About the same period, stoves were for the first 
time introduced into the church. Before this was 
done, the people had no means of warming them- 
selves except in the session-house, which, being small, 
many of them entered the cold church and sat through 
two services, and returned home, without going near 
the fire. When the building was erected, no pro- 
vision had been made for warming it, and when the 
stoves were placed in it, a hole was cut through the 
centre of the roof, and the pipes from the stoves con- 
nected overhead, and carrried up through it. 

It may strike you as somewhat singular that our 
forefathers should make no provision for warming the 
houses of worship erected by them. It riiust be re- 
membered, however, that stoves are an institution of 
comparatively modern invention, and that in the 
olden time there was no convenient way of heating 
large spaces. For some time after the first introduc- 
tion of stoves, people looked with distrust on the new 
contrivances for warming their houses, preferring the 
large open fire-places to which they were accus- 
tomed. 

In the year 1795, difficulties arose in the congre- 
gation, at first a mere speck on the horizon, which 
soon increased to such an extent that its very exist, 
ence was for a time threatened, and from the effects 
of which it did not recover for many years, 

A ball was held at a new public house within the 

* See Appendix E. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 93 

bounds of the congregation, which was attended by 
many of the young people. On the first Sabbath 
thereafter, Mr, Mitchel took occasion to preach against 
the propriety of members of the church attending and 
engaging in such festivities, and in doing so, indulged 
in very strong language, and denounced those who 
had engaged in it with much vehemence. As one of 
my informants forcibly expressed it, " he gave them 
a regular tearing up about it." 

The people became intensely excited, some sustain- 
ing Mr, Mitchel, and others inveighing against him, not 
so much on account of his opposition to the ball, as 
to the manner in which he alluded to those who had 
attended it. Matters came to such a pitch, that one 
Sabbath the church was locked against Mr. Mitchel, 
and the Bible taken away. He procured one of his 
servants, a colored man named James Howell, to 
enter the house through the small window which 
lighted the pulpit, and which he reached by means of 
a ladder. In this way the house was opened, and 
the services conducted as usual ; Mr. Mitchel making 
use of a small Bible which he carried with him. 

It is related of James Howell, who was a man of 
considerable intelligence for one in his position, that 
when he was about entering through the window, he 
said to Mr. Mitchel, ^' This is not right." Upon Mr. 
Mitchel inquiring the reason, he replied, " Because 
the good book says, ' He that entereth not by the 
door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other 
way, the same is a thief and a robber.' " 

The opposition to Mr. Mitchel still continuing, he. 



94 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

on the 6th of January, 1796, requested Presbytery 
to dissolve the pastoral relation, as expressed in the 
minutes of Presbytery, " in consequence of some un- 
happy differences subsisting between him and some 
members of his congi'egation." The Presbytery de- 
clined to grant the request, and appointed a committee 
to visit the congregation, and inquire into the state of 
matters, with a view, if possible, of healing the 
differences. At the next meeting of Presbytery, 
held May 5, 1796, this committee reported that there 
appeared to be considerable differences among the 
people, which they were unable to heal, and referred 
the matter to Presbytery. Mr. Mitchel renewed his 
request, that the pastoral relation might be dissolved ; 
and, after hearing Mr. Mitchel and commissioners 
from the congregation, the Presbytery acquiesced in 
the propriety of the request, " both for the peace and 
harmony of the congregation, as well as the useful- 
ness and comfort of Mr. Mitchel," and the pastoral 
relation was accordingly dissoh'ed. 

These difficulties did not extend to the congre- 
gation of Doe Run, which was harmonious and 
peaceable, and over which Mr. Mitchel continued to 
exercise a fatherly care until the year 1809, when, 
by reason of advancing years, he was unable longer 
to minister to them. 

At the next meeting of Presbytery, after the pas- 
toral relation of Mr. Mitchel was dissolved, John 
Fleming and Arthur Park appeared as elders and 
representatives from this congregation, and requested 
that Mr. Mitchel should be appointed to supply the 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 95 

pulpit for six months, he engaging to visit ministeri- 
ally every family within the bounds of the congrega- 
tion, and if possible remove all difficulties ; Mr. Flem- 
ing and Mr. Park engaging, so far as their influence 
extended, to encourage and strengthen his hands in 
the undertaking. 

The request was granted, and Mr, Mitchel entered 
upon the very arduous undertaking of endeavoring to 
unite a divided congregation. As might be antici- 
pated, he did not succeed, and so reported to Presby- 
tery at its next meeting. The Presbytery deemed 
it best that the pastoral relation should remain dis- 
solved, and enjoined it upon both him and the con- 
gregation, that they should studiously avoid every 
thing which might alienate their affections or be pro- 
ductive of discord. 

In October, 1797, Mr. Mitchel and commissioners 
from the congregation were again before Presbytery, 
on the subject of his preaching within the bounds of 
the congregation ; and the Presbytery enjoined it 
upon him that he should not officiate, unless he Avas 
called upon to do so, by appointment of Presbytery, 
or the unanimous request of the session, and admon- 
ished the congregation that they should be at peace 
among themselves, and endeavor to attain such a 
state of union and strength as would enable them to 
obtain the services of a regular pastor. 

This injunction and admonition seem not to have 
been heeded, as in October, 1798, the Presbytery was 
informed that fresh causes of disaffection and dis- 
cord had arisen, growing out of the conduct of Mr. 



96 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Mitchel; in baptizing the children of some of the 
members, and granting certificates of dismission to 
other churches. The Presbytery again enjoined it 
upon Mr. Mitchel not to perform any ministerial 
acts within the bounds of the congregation, unless 
invited by the session, or appointed thereto by the 
Presbytery, and also requested the session to cheer- 
fully accept the services of Mr. Mitchel when not 
otherwise supplied. After this, we hear of no further 
difficulties between Mr. Mitchel and the congrega- 
tion, except as to the payment of his salary, which 
was in arrears, and which was not finally settled 
until December, 1800, nearly five years after he 
ceased to be pastor. 

In September, 17P9, the Presbytery met at Upper 
Octorara, with the view of endeavoring to heal the 
dissensions in the congregation, and after a conference 
with the respective parties, happily succeeded in their 
object. The following paper was adopted and signed 
by seventy-one members of the church, including all 
the heads of families : 

" We, the subscribers, members constituting the congregation of 
Upper Octorara, deeply impressed with the threatening aspect of 
being deprived of the stated means of grace amongst us, and 
humbled under a sense of our own neglect and departure from God, 
which have provoked the Divine Majesty of heaven to permit di- 
visions and dissensions to take such place amongst us as to threaten 
the peace and unity of this branch of his church, to the wounding 
of the interest of religion in general, as well as our own souls : 

And tchfreos, it hath been proposed by the malcontents that the 
election of eleven ruling elders, in which the present session shall 
be polled for in common with others, would remove their objec- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 97 

tions, and upon that condition they were willing to unite with 
their brethren, and heartily to join with them in adopting such 
rules and regulations as to a majority might appear to tend to the 
happiness, peace and good order of the congregation. And as the 
measure has been advised by the Presbytery, and with a view to 
remove every complaint, and heal the divisions subsisting, it hath 
been acceded to by the present session : 

Therefore, we whose names are hereunto subscribed, do bind 
ourselves to each other to abide by and adhere to the following 
resolves : 

I. Resolved^ That subscribing this instrupaent and these resolves 
which shall be considered the enrollment of the members of this 
congregation, shall be the test of membership. 

II. Resolved, That so soon as six ruling elders shall be chosen 
and ordained to their office, the present ruling elders, except those 
re-elected, shall cease to act any longer in that office. 

III. Resolved, That we will submit to and abide by the decision 
of a majority of the Session, in all matters coming under their 
jurisdiction, and also to a majority of the regular members of this 
congregation, in any matter appertaining to the congregation, and 
in particular with respect to our obtaining the stated means of 
grace amongst us. 

IV. Resolved, That any person, a member of this congregation, 
doing or countenancing any thing or measure which may appear 
to the Session to operate against the peace and unity of the congre- 
gation, such person or persons shall be dealt with and censured 
agreeably to the discipline of our church, and the true intent and 
meaning of these resolves. 

V. Resolved, That any person wishing to withdraw from this 
society (which withdrawal shall be a request to the Session to have 
his name erased from this enrollment, and a certificate), shall offer 
his reasons to the Session, which, if by them deemed sufficient, he 
shall obtain a certificate agreeably to his standing, and that, before 
he is received by any other society, or otherwise, the session may 
refer him for a decision in the premises, to the Presbytery. 

VI. Resolved, That during the vacancy of this congregation, a 



98 



UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



majority of the Session shall order and regulate applications for 
supplies. 

Done at Upper Octorara, September 11, 1799. 



Gideon Irwin, 

John Fleming, Sen., 

Arthur Park, 

Henry McClellan, 

George Boyd, 

Kobert McClellan, 

Thomas Heslep, 

John Smith, 

Thomas Hope, 

John Eark,^_ 

Kichard McClure, 

John Hershberger, 

Adam Cowan, 

James Cowan, 

Thomas Scott, 

John Scott, 

Samuel Wilson, 

Hannah Kinkead, 

John Pinkerton, 

John Fleming, Jr., 

George Richmond, 

Samuel McClellan, 

James Boyd, 

John G. Parke, 

John Fleming, of East Cain, 

Francis Gardner, 

James Boyd, 

John 3Iorrison, 

George Sloan, 

Joseph Sloan, 

John Sloan, 

Mary Glendenning, 

Richard McPherson, 



Alexander McPherson, 
Thomas Hull, 
Joseph Cowan, 
Oliver Wells, 
William Boyd, 
David Gilfillan, 
Paul Price, 
William Stewart, 
John Wallace, 
James Scott, 
James McClellan, 
\ Adam Glendenning, 
Widow Kirkpatrick, 
William Davidson, 
Andrew Stewart 
Samuel Wright, 
Wallace Boyd, 
John Irwin, 
Robert Young, 
John Porter, 
William Harper, 
John McPherson, 
Archibald Gilfillan, 
Jenny Park, 
Robert Hamilton, 
Joseph Park, 
Samuel Futhey, 
George McWilliams, 
Jane Boyd, 
James Withrow, 
Catharine Boyd, 
Hannah Hope, 
John Hamill, 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 99 

Israel Hamill, Henry Blott, 

Elisha Hamill, Samuel McClellan. 

Isaac Wentz, 

After the foregoing paper was adopted and signed, 
the congregation proceeded to the election of ruling 
elders, and re-elected the six old elders and also five 
new ones. Those re-elected, so far as I can obtain 
their names, were Gideon Irwin, John Fleming, Sen., 
Arthur Park, Henry McClellan, and George Boyd. 
The new ones elected were John Fleming, Jr., Thomas 
Hope, James Boyd, Adam Cowan, and James Cowan. 

The five new elders were duly ordained, and peace 
and harmony, which had been interrupted for a period 
of four years, again reigned in Octorara. 

The list of names appended to the paper I have 
just read is interesting, as furnishing us with the 
names of the heads of families of the congregation at 
the close of the last, and beginning of the present 
century. In this list of seventy-one names, there 
are forty surnames ; and of these, about twenty-five 
are borne by members of the congregation at this 
time. 

Early in the present century, the church was 
struck with lightning, which shattered the east door, 
jind otherwise injured the building, rendering con- 
siderable repairs necessary. 

No effort seems to have been made to elect a pastor 
until September 9, 1809, when calls were presented 
to Rev. Robert White to become pastor of Upper 
Octorara and Doe Run ; giving to Octorara three- 
fourths, and to Doe Run one-fourth of his time. 



100 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

These calls were signed, on behalf of Upper Octorara, 
by ruling elders Arthur Park, George Boyd, Henry 
McClellan, John Fleming, Jr., James Cowan, and 
John Fleming, Sr. ; and on behalf of Doe Run, by 
ruling elders Hugh Jordan, John Mitchell, and 
William Gordon, and attested by Rev. A. Mitchel 
as presiding minister. The salary promised was five 
hundred dollars, of which three hundred and seventy- 
five was to be paid by Upper Octorara, and one hun- 
dred and twenty-five by Doe Run. 

At the meeting of Presbytery, at w^hich these 
united calls were placed in the hands of Mr. White, 
calls were also presented to him by the congregation 
of Faggs Manor, and also by the united congregations 
of White Clay Creek and Head of Christina. Of 
these three calls, he accepted that from Faggs Manor, 
and was ordained and installed there on December 
14, 1809. 

It is a singular coincidence, that in 1768, when 
Mr. Foster accepted the call from Upper Octorara 
and Doe Run, he had in his hands calls from the 
same churches that Mr. White had in 1809. 

On the 24th of September, 1810, a call was ex- 
tended by Upper Octorara to Rev. James Latta for 
three-fourths of his time, for which they agreed to 
pay him a salary of four hundred dollars. This call 
was signed by Rev. Robert White as Moderator of 
the Congregational Meeting, and by Arthur Park, 
George Boyd, Henry McClellan, and John Fleming, 
Jr., ruling elders.* 

* See Appendix F. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 101 

Mr. Latta had been licensed by the Presbytery of 
New Castle, at New London, December 13, 1809, 
and had in the meantime preached to a congregation in 
West Chester county. New York. At the meeting of 
Presbytery, at which the call from Upper Octorara 
was placed in his hands, a letter was received from 
the congregation in West-Chester county. New York, 
requesting Presbytery to grant liberty to Mr. Latta 
to continue his labors there, with a A'iew to their 
settling him as their pastor. 

Mr. Latta declined the invitation from New York, 
accepted the call from Upper Octorara, and was, on 
the 2d of April, 1811, ordained and installed. In 
this service, the Rev. N. W. Sample presided ; the 
Rev. John E. Latta preached the ordination sermon, 
and the Rev. Samuel Martin gave the charge to the 
pastor and people. 

Mr. Latta's three elder brothers, Francis A. Latta, 
William Latta, and John E. Latta, all ministers, were 
present, and the ordination of their younger brother 
was doubtless to them an occasion of deep interest. 
They were desirous he should settle in Eastern Penn- 
sylvania, and their wishes had probably much to do 
with his declining the invitation from New York, and 
accepting the call from Octorara. 

When Mr. Latta was called to Octorara for three- 
fourths of his time, it was expected that Doe Run 
would extend a call to him for the remaining fourth. 
They declined to do so, and the connection between 
Upper Octorara and Doe Run, which had to some 
extent existed for seventy years, was thus severed. 



102 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

and from the year 1810 they have been distinct con- 
gregations. 

As at this point we part company with the Doe 
Run Church, I will refer to such points in her history 
as I have not already spoken of. 

The first Church edifice, a log structure, erected 
about 1740, stood within the grounds of the grave- 
yard as at present enclosed. It was in this building 
George Whitefield preached during his visitation. In 
1771, during the pastorate of Mr. Foster, the congre- 
gation erected their second edifice. It was of hewn 
logs, about nine hundred and sixty square feet in 
area, and stood between the present church and the 
graveyard. The present building was erected in 
1821. It is of stone, and its dimensions are fifty- 
three by forty feet. 

During the pastorate of Mr. Sterling, Captain 
John Montgomery became a ruling elder. Mr. Foster 
ordained to that office Andrew Mitchell, Robert 
Cowan, and John Wiley ; and Mr. Mitchel ordained 
Hugh Jordan, Robert Morsel, William Hanna, and 
James Steen. 

It would be interesting to relate the further history 
of that church, but it is foreign to our purpose, and 
would extend too much the limits of this discourse. 
I will briefly say, that Rev. Samuel Henderson was 
pastor about one year and a half in 1813 and 1814, 
when he removed to AVilliamsport ; Rev. Elkanah 
Kelsay Dare from May 13, 1817, until his death, 
August 26, 1826 ; Rev. Alexander G. Morrison from 
April 24, 1828, to October 6, 1857; Rev. John 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 103 

Wynne Martin, D.D., from April 13, 1858, to October 
19, 1860; and Rev. John P. Clarke from June, 1865, to 
April, 1868. The pulpit is now vacant, and supplied 
by Presbytery. 

Mr. Latta, for two years after his installation, 
preached the one-fourth of his time at the Gap, in Lan- 
caster county, where a portion of the members of his 
congregation resided. On September 29, 1812, he 
received from Upper Octorara a call for his entire 
pastoral labors, at a salary of five hundred dollars, 
which he accepted, and this church, for the first time 
in her history, had the entire services of a pastor. 

You will have seen, from the dates I have given 
you, that from May, 1796, to September, 1810, a 
period of fourteen years and four months, this con- 
gregation Avas without a pastor. During this vacancy 
it received supplies from Presbytery. 

As it may be interesting to know what ministers 
filled the pulpit during this long interval, I will give 
you their names, as I have culled them from the 
minutes of Presbytery, to wit : " Colin McFarquhar, 
N. W. Sample, Francis Hindman, David McConoughey, 
John B. Patterson, William Latta, Patrick Dawson, 
William Stewart, Nathan Grier, Joseph Barr, Alex- 
ander Mitchel, John E. Latta, Robert Kennedy, Dr. 
James Latta, William Arthur, Joshua Knight, Charles 
Cummings, James Magraw, Stewart Williamson, John 
Waugh, Thomas Hood, Francis A. Latta, John D. 
Perkins, Caleb Johnson, William Kerr, James Bu- 
chanan, Alexander Boyd, Nathaniel R. Snowden, 
Robert White, and John F. Grier. 



104 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

One of these, Robert Kennedy, supplied the pulpit 
for several months, with a view to his being settled 
as pastor, but the congregation were unable to unite 
upon him. He was a brother of Maxwell Kennedy, 
of the Rising Sun, near the Gap, in Lancaster county, 
Avho was well known to many of the older persons in 
this audience. 

The most popular of these supplies were the Rev. 
Nathan Grier, of Brandywine Manor, Rev. William 
Arthur, of Pequea, and Rev. Nathaniel W. Sample, 
of Leacock. Whenever it was known they were to 
preach, crowds usually attended the services. People 
would walk for miles to attend upon their ministry. 
Mr. Grier had a strong, full and melodious voice, and 
when preaching in the open air, could be heard for a 
considerable distance. If the weather was warm, he 
did 'not scruple to take off his coat while preaching 
When there was no preacher. Elder Arthur Park 
sometimes led the services, and read a printed 
sermon. 

After the adjustment, in 1799, of the difficulties in 
the congregation, Mr. Mitchel was an occasional sup- 
ply, both by appointment of Presbytery and by in- 
vitation from the Session. He had many warm 
friends in the congregation, and was held in much 
estimation. 

In person, he was tall and spare, and of venerable 
aspect ; was very social in his disposition, kind and 
affectionate, instructive in conversation, and a pleas- 
ant, companionable man. As a preacher, however, 
he was not popular. He was a scholar, and a man 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE, 105 

of excellent mind, but very slow and tedious in his 
delivery, especially in his later years. 

Like all the large landed proprietors of that day, 
he was the owner of slaves. One of them, James 
Howell, already referred to, was quite intelligent, 
and a great favorite. 

About the year 1809 or 1810, Mr. Mitchel, having 
become advanced in years, and having no children, 
accepted an invitation to spend the remainder of his 
days in the family of Robert Cochran, near the village 
of Cochranville. He was remotely connected with 
Mr. Cochran, and had been a frequent visitor at his 
house. Here he resided about three years, and died 
on the 6th of December, 1812, at the age of eighty- 
one years. His remains rest in yonder churchyard, 
covered with a tasteful monument, on which is carved 
an appropriate tribute to his memory. 

In 1812, a few months prior to his death, he sold 
his farm, which he had purchased from Colonel 
Andrew Boyd, in 1786, to Rev. James Latta. 

When Mr. Latta first came to Octorara, he boarded 
with James Boyd, who lived near the church ; after- 
wards he resided for some years in the family of 
Thomas McClellan. He was married on the 15th of 
October, 1815, and for about six months resided in 
the house of the late Robert Futhey, then recently 
erected, in (now) Highland township. In the Spring 
of 1816, he removed to the farm he had purchased 
from Mr. Mitchel in 1812. 

With the installation of Mr. Latta, the congregation 
took, as it were, a new lease of life, and set out on 



106 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

its journey with renewed vigor. He was young and 
energetic, of popular manners, and earnest in the 
Master's cause, and imparted to those with whom he 
was brought in contact a portion of his own vitality. 

The long vacancy had so reduced their numbers 
that when he became pastor, the membership did not 
much exceed one hundred. 

In 1813, the Session commenced to keep a regular 
registry of admissions to the church, and of baptisms 
and deaths. There were then on the roll one hundred 
and forty-seven members. Additions were made to 
it at every communion season, and the congregation 
soon became strong and vigorous. 

The early Scotch and Irish Presbyterian emigrants 
brought with them the customs and modes of worship 
of the churches at home. One of these was that of 
having two consecutive services on the Sabbath, with 
an intermission of half an hour. This custom pre- 
vailed in this congregation from the earliest times 
until about the year 1812. The people, during the 
interval between the services, were accustomed to 
visit the spring on the opposite side of the road from 
the present residence of Oliver P. Wilson, for the 
purpose of allaying their thirst. I cannot better 
describe the scene during the intermission than in 
the words of a poem published a few years since, a 
portion of which I beg leave to quote : 

" Blest sight it was, to mark that godly flock, 

At intermission, grouped throughout this wood, 
Each log, each bench, each family upping block. 
Some grand-dame held amidst her gathered brood ; 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 107 

Here cakes were shared, and fruits, and counsel good. 
Devoutly spoken 'twas of crops and rain ; 

Hard by the church the broad-brimmed elders stood, 
While o'er that slope did flow a constant train 
Of bevies, springward bound, or coming back again. 

" Ah ! luckless wight, whom gallantry did press 
Fast by that spring, to stoop him often low. 

And serve, with cup up-dipped, and bland address. 
The gathered fair, whose multitude did grow ! 

One whom he most afiects, and did bestow 

Her first the cup, hath drunk, and ofi" does walk ; 

Her then to follow fain he must forego, — 

With some far happier swain he marks her talk. 
While he must stoop, and grin, and water all the flock. 

" Here too, like me, some lonesome wight of yore 
Did stand apart, and these memorials scan. 

And blighted hopes and buried loves deplore. 
And feel, in sooth, how frail a thing is man. 

Hither the widow came, weeping and wan. 
To muse on him of late her joy and pride. 

Ah ! now no more she mourns the solemn ban 

Which did her then from her loved spouse divide — 
Now does she sleep herself all sweetly by his side."* 

The morning service was generally of considerable 
length — that in the afternoon not so long ; but the 
entire services occupied the greater portion of the 
day, and night was generally drawing on apace when 
the people reached their homes. It was to them a 
matter-of-course, and they thought of nothing else but 
spending the day at church, and were not satisfied 
unless the sermons were of considerable length. 

* See Nevin's Churches of the Valley, p. 45. 



108 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

They desired good measure, full and running over. 
What a change has taken place in this respect. 
Then, the preacher did not confine himself within the 
jDeriod of an hour in the delivery of his discourse, 
but frequently exceeded that limit. Now, the pews 
become very uneasy if the sermon exceeds half an 
hour in length, and are in tortures if it reaches fifty 
minutes. 

Mr. Latta, soon after the commencement of his 
pastorate, abolished this practice of having two ser- 
vices in the church on Sabbath, deeming it better 
that the afternoon services should be held at private 
houses or school-houses at different points within the 
bounds of the congregation. This change was not 
made without creating considerable dissatisfaction. 
The people were wedded to their old customs, and 
did not readily acquiesce in the new order of things. 
Some of our good grandmothers, it has been re- 
lated to me, were very indignant at being sent home 
from church in the middle of the day. 

Mr. Latta, about the same time, gave the death 
blow to another custom which had been brought from 
the fatherland ; that of furnishing intoxicating drinks 
at funerals. The custom was, when the people were 
assembled at the funeral house, as it was termed, to 
carry around cakes and liquors, of which all, young 
and old, generally partook. Sometimes some thirsty 
soul would take his position where he would be 
served among the first, and then would be found on 
the outskirts, where those serving were about con- 
cluding their round. Mr. Latta saw the evil of this 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 109 

custom, and gradually prevailed upon the people to 
abandon it. 

In this connection, I may mention that the earliest 
form of hearse in use in this congregation was on two 
wheels. Sloats or pieces were nailed across the 
shafts, and the coffin was placed on them and 
strapped. The undertaker rode on horseback and 
led the horse attached to the hearse. Adam Glen- 
denning was for a long time an undertaker, and used 
this form of vehicle. 

John Hershberger, who succeeded Adam Glen- 
denning as an undertaker, introduced a four-wheeled 
hearse, the body of it shaped like a coffin. This was 
used for many years, and until the modern open 
vehicle came into use. 

In early times, the people performed their journej^s 
either on foot or on horseback. Riding carriages 
were not in use, and the two-wheeled hearse would 
be the only vehicle at a funeral. U]3ping blocks 
were of course very numerous in the church 
grounds. 

The first riding vehicle in the congregation was a 
"chair" belonging to the Rev. Mr. Mitchel. The 
first four-wheeled carriage was introduced by Elder 
John Fleming, Sr. ; the second, a large one, capable 
of holding six persons, by Samuel McClellan ; and 
the third, about 1814, by Elder Arthur Park. After 
this, they became more common, although for many 
years thereafter, people very generally rode on horse- 
back, the same horse frequently performing the task 
of carrying two persons at one time ; sometimes the 



110 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 

wife on a pillion behind her husband, sometimes a 
child. 

When it was likely to rain, the people would take 
the saddles from their horses, and place them in the 
session-house, or underneath the church. If it com- 
menced to rain during the services, the men Avould 
go out for the same purpose, and the pastor would 
sometimes suspend the exercises while this was being- 
done. 

Parasols in those days were unknown, the women 
carrying large fans to shield their faces from the rays 
of the sun. Umbrellas were used to a limited ex- 
tent. 

This church was incorporated on the 6th of May, 
1812. The first board of trustees* named in the 
charter were Francis Gardner, John Fleming, of East 
Cain, Wallace Boyd, Joseph Richmond, Samuel Boyd, 
Thomas Scott, and James Boyd, who held their first 
meeting at the house of Wallace Boyd, on the 4th of 
July, 1812, and organized by appointing Francis 
Gardner as President, Wallace Boyd as Treasurer, 
and Josej)h Bichmond as Secretary. 

Sunday-schools were established in the congrega- 
tion about the year 1818. They were first organized 
at the session house, and at the school-house near the 
present residence of Ezekiel B. Young. Soon after- 
wards they were organized at Hollis' School-house, 
now the tenant house on the farm late of William 
Stewart, in Highland township, at the school-house 
known as " The Pass," and at other points. Mrs. 

* See Appendix G. and H. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Ill 

Latta was very active in promoting the establishment 
of these schools. 

In 1822 and 1823, an extensive revival of religion 
took place in the congregation. It was greatly pro- 
moted by a female prayer meeting, usually held at 
the house of Mrs. Mary McClellan — Aunt Polly 
McClellan, as she was generally called. She resided 
on the farm lately occupied by her grandson, Samuel 
Parke McClellan, deceased. As the fruits of this 
revival, seventy-nine persons were admitted to church 
privileges in the year 1822, and forty-five persons in 
1823. 

In the year 1824, the interior arrangements of the 
church were entirely altered. The pulpit, a new one, 
was placed in the east end, two aisles ran the length 
of the room from east to west, there was a space 
across the church in front of the pulpit, an aisle 
across the west end, and a short aisle from the south 
door to the nearest east and west aisle. There were 
four ranges of pews ; a double range in the middle, 
and single ranges against the north and south walls, 
and also on each side of the pulpit. The pulpit was 
elaborately ornamented, and was reached by winding 
stall's at the north side. It Avas open underneath. 
In front of it was a railing, behind which the pre- 
centors stood while leading the singing. The pew 
doors were painted white, and the numbers painted 
on them in large black figures. 

The church, after these alterations, was at first 
heated by two stoves, placed at the north and south 
sides ; afterwards two more were added, one of 



112 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

them placed in the space in front of the pulpit, and 
the other in the aisle at the west end. 

A trap door was placed in this west aisle, which 
was afterwards put to a use perhaps not contemplated 
when it was made. 

In those days it was customary for the dogs to 
accompany their masters to church, and they fre- 
quently came into the building, and perambulated the 
aisles, to the disturbance of the worshipers. Thomas 
Ross, the sexton, conceived the idea of putting a 
stop to this annoyance, and accordingly, placing him- 
self by this trap and watching his opportunity, divers 
of the canine species were arrested in their course, 
and transferred to the space underneath the floor, 
there to remain in durance until the congregation 
were dismissed, when they were released by the 
outer door. This novel expedient proved successful, 
and the canines were generally thereafter among the 
stay-at-homes. 

More than one urchin was put upon his good be- 
havior, by being admonished that unless he was a 
good boy in meeting. Tommy Ross would put him in 
the dog-hole ; and there are those present to-day who 
will perhaps remember having received such an ad- 
monition. 

While the alterations were being made, Mr. Latta 
desired to have a bell placed upon the church. Some 
of the people were accustomed to sit on the upping 
blocks and on the graveyard wall, until they heard 
Mr. Latta's voice giving out the opening psalm. Mr. 
Latta gave as a reason for having a bell, that he did 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 113 

not wish to have to make use of the Psahns of David 
to call the people into the church. The trustees, 
however, seem to have considered a bell a superfluity, 
as none was erected. 

The system of renting the pews first came into use 
at this time. The salary of the pastor had theretofore 
been collected by stipends, each person being assessed 
what was esteemed his proportion. 

Before the alteration, the communion was wholly 
administered at tables placed in the long aisle in front 
of the pulpit. Afterwards, there being less room in 
front of the pulpit, some of the front pews were used 
for that purpose, in addition to tables. In accord- 
ance with the Scottish custom, leaden tokens were 
used on these occasions. They were given out by 
the pastor and elders to those entitled to partake of 
the sacrament, and taken up after they were seated 
at the tables. These tokens were flat pieces of lead 
something over half an inch square, with the letters 
" U. 0.," the initials of the name of the church, 
stamped upon them. I have some of them in my 
possession. The use of these tokens was abolished 
when the alterations of which I have just spoken 
were made in the church. 

The old Scottish custom of " fencing the tables," 
as it was called, i. c. prohibiting the approach of those 
who were deemed unworthy to receive the communion, 
was practiced until about the same time. This cere- 
mony usually consisted of the delivery of a short 
address by the minister to the intending communi- 
cants, upon the sacredness of the rite, debarring the 



114 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

ignorant and profane from approaching the table, and 
stating the characteristics of worthy communicants. 

The communion service consisted of two large, and 
four small mugs of pewter. These continued to be 
used until the congregation entered the present build- 
ing in 1840, when a silver service was presented to 
the church. What became of the pewter service I 
do not know. It should have been sacredly pre- 
served. 

It was customary in former times to have services 
on the Thursday preceding the communion. This 
day was known as the preparation or fast day, and 
was very generally observed. These communion 
occasions generally drew together large crowds of 
persons from a considerable distance. 

The first mode of taking up collections in the 
church, was with small square boxes placed on the 
end of poles, with the top of the box half covered. 
Afterwards the trustees took their stand at the church 
doors after service, with their hats in their hands, 
and the people as they passed out dropped their con- 
tributions in the hats. When the church was altered 
in 1824, velvet bags with long handles attached were 
introduced, and used until about the year 1866, when 
they gave way to the present basket system. 

The custom of lining the psalm, as it was termed, 
which was practiced under the earlier pastors, was 
discontinued in the ordinary services, soon after Mr. 
Latta became pastor ; the people, at his suggestion, 
generally supplying themselves with Watts' Psalms 
and Hymns. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 115 

On communion occasions however, the hymns which 
were sung while the people were coming forward to 
the tables, were lined by the elders, and this practice 
continued until the congregation entered the present 
building in 1840. 

It was formerly also very customary in singing, to 
repeat the last two lines of the last verse. This, 
however, was not always done, and occasionally some 
member of the congregation who was dull of hearing, 
not observing that the clerks had taken their seats, 
would repeat the last lines by himself, somewhat to 
the amusement of the young folks, and perhaps of 
some of the seniors. 

Another custom to which I will advert, was that 
of announcing evening services during a portion of 
the year, "to commence at early candle-light." This 
was very common in my young days, but I be- 
lieve has now fallen into disuse. 

About the year 1828, societies for the suppression 
of the vice of intemperance were formed. Mr. Latta, 
from the initiatory movement, was an ardent friend 
and advocate of the cause, and during the whole 
course of his ministry, did all in his power for its 
advancement. In the minutes of the Presbytery of 
New Castle, under the date of April 1, 1828, I find 
this entry Avritten on the margin of the record of the 
proceedings of the meeting, held that day at the 
Church of Lower Brandy wine: "Presbytery enter- 
tained without ardent spirits for the first time — tea 
substituted." It is in the bold handwriting of Rev. 
E. W. Gilbert, the then clerk of Presbytery. The 



116 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Church of Lower Brandy wine is therefore entitled to 
the honor of breaking up an old, but baleful custom. 
The Presbytery, at this same meeting, took strong 
and decided ground in favor of the temperance move- 
ment. 

In 1831, what were then known as "four days 
meetings," and afterwards as protracted meetings, are 
first mentioned in the minutes of Presbytery. The 
Presbytery recommended that "twilight prayer-meet- 
ings," should be held for special prayer for a revival 
of religion, and the members were divided into classes, 
for the purpose of holding "four days meetings" in 
their respective congregations. Meetings of this kind, 
commencing on Tuesday and ending on Friday, were 
held in this church in the years 1831, 1832 and 1833, 
which were very largely attended, and resulted in 
an ingathering in 1831, of thirty-nine members; in 
1832, of fifty-three members; and in 1833, of forty- 
two members. 

In 1832, the bounds of the congregation were cur- 
tailed, by the organization of a church at Belleview, 
and in 1833 by the organization at Coatesville. 

About the year 1836, through the exertions of Mr. 
Latta, a church building was erected in Sadsbury ville, 
as a place of preaching in the afternoon and evening, 
and for the use of the Sunday-school, which has been 
very serviceable to the portion of the congregation 
residing in that vicinity. This property was con- 
veyed by Martin Armstrong to the trustees of this 
church, by deed dated January 31, 1844. A deed 
had been previously made, which w^as lost. The 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 117 

school directors of Sadsbnry, have an interest in the 
basement room, in which, for many years one of the 
public schools of the township was held. 

In 1839, the church edifice in which this congre- 
gation worshiped, having become dilapidated and being 
deemed unsafe, the sense of the congregation was 
taken on the subject of repairing the old house, or 
erecting a new one. After deliberation — although 
there was some diversity of sentiment on the subject — 
it was deemed best to erect a new building, and sub- 
scriptions were accordingly made for that purpose. 
On the 4th of March, 1840, Martin Armstrong, Rob- 
ert Futhey and Samuel D. McClellan, were appointed 
a building committee, to whom the charge of the 
whole work was committed. The new building — the 
one in which w^e are now assembled, and the' fourth 
church edifice on these grounds — was erected in the 
summer of 1840. It was dedicated on the 16th day 
of December of that year, the Rev. Alfred Nevin 
preaching in the morning, and Rev. William Latta, 
brother of the pastor, preaching the dedicatory ser- 
mon in the afternoon. The old edifice was torn down 
in May, 1840, and a part of the materials used in the 
construction of the new one. The cost of the new 
building when fully completed, was about forty-one 
hundred dollars, in addition to the value of the ma- 
terials procured from the old one. Its outside size is 
fifty-seven and a half, by seventy feet; the audience 
room, exclusive of the gallery, is fifty-seven by fifty- 
four feet, and the height of the ceiling is twenty-one 
and a half feet. The number of pews on the ground 



118 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

floor is 104. The gallery is thirteen feet wide, and 
extends across the south end of the building, and 
will seat about 100 persons. The pulpit erected 
w^hen the church was built, was quite wide. It was 
taken away in 1866, and the present one constructed. 

When the old church was torn away, the graveyard 
was enlarged, by extending it twenty yards on the 
west side, and taking in the greater part of the 
ground where the old building had stood; and also 
taking in a space fourteen yards wide, on the south 
side; making its present size, ninety yards from east 
to west, and seventy-one yards from north to south, 
and its contents about one acre and a third. 

The site of the old building has been recently 
marked by four stones put up at the corners, so that 
it may be known in the future where it stood. 

Of the committee Avho had charge of the erection 
of this building, two have gone to their reward ; the 
third, I am happy to see, is present with us to-day. 

In 1840, when the congregation commenced to 
worship in this edifice, the roll of the church con- 
tained the names of two hundred and forty-five per- 
sons, w^ho were in full communion. 

With the demolition of the old church building^ 
that time-honored race of officers in this church, 
known as precentors, also passed away. Those of 
you whose recollections extend back of the thirty 
years which have run their course since then, will 
recall the voices of Arthur Parke, Thomas Scott, 
Captain Thomas Stewart, Samuel W. Scott, James 
Fearon, William Whiteside, and others, as they led 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 119 

the congregation in the sendee of song. Methinks 
I yet see the venerable form, and hear the sonorous 
voice of Thomas Scott, as on communion occasions he 
lined the hymns, pronouncing the words, as was his 
wont, in one continuous tone. But those days have 
passed away, and live only in memory. The recol- 
lection of them, however, to me, and I doubt not to 
very many in this congregation, is sweet. 

On the day this building Avas dedicated, the sing- 
ing was for the first time led by a choir, which had 
been organized by Mr. Samuel W. Scott, and who 
continued to be its leader for eight years. 

In former days, the services of this church were 
always opened with the singing of a psalm. The in- 
vocation was first used at the dedication of this build- 
ing, in December, 1840. 

The year 1849 witnessed a large addition to the 
membership, the result of a revival of religion with 
which the church was blessed in that year. In the 
religious services attending the work, Mr. Latta was 
greatly aided by the labors of Rev. John F. Cowan, 
who spent some time with the congregation. 

Mr. Latta's connection with the church as pastor 
continued until October 1, 1850, when at his own 
request, the pastoral relation was dissolved. He had 
had it in contemplation for some time, to make this 
application at the end of a forty years' pastorate, and 
the day on which his relations to the church ceased, 
was precisely forty years from the day on which he 
took the oversight of it. 

From the year 1813, when the Session commenced 



120 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

to keep a roll of the membership of the church, until 
the termination of Mr. Latta's pastorate, there were 
added to the church, on examination and profession 
of their faith, five hundred and seventy-two, and on 
certificates from other churches, one hundred and 
twelve, making an average each year of fifteen on 
examination and three on certificate. During the 
same period, the ordinance of baptism was adminis- 
tered to six hundred and thirty-three infants, and 
one hundred and fifty-two adults. 

Mr. Latta then engaged in missionary labor in 
Pennington ville and its neighborhood; and was instru- 
mental in gathering a congregation and having a 
church edifice erected in that village, over which he 
was installed as pastor on the 11th of November, 
1852. He maintained that relation until April 9, 
1861, when, on account of increasing years, and the 
distance of his field of labor from his residence, the 
pastoral relation, at his request, was dissolved. 

While he was pastor at Penningtonville, he pro- 
cured, by his efforts, the erection of a church edifice 
at Christiana, about two miles from Penningtonville, 
to which he also ministered. 

He died May 30, 1862, at the house of his nephew 
in Philadelphia, in which city he was attending the 
Pennsylvania Sabbath-School Convention, then in 
session. He was seated at the breakfast table, in 
apparent good health, when instantly life departed. 

Mr. Lalta was born at Chestnut Level, Pa., on the 
10th of June, 1787. He was the youngest son of 
the Rev. James and Mary (McCalla) Latta. His 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 121 

father came from Ireland when he was about seven 
years of age, studied at the Synodical school at New- 
London, in this county, graduated at the Philadelphia 
College, and studied theology under the Rev. Francis 
Alison, to wdiom he was related. He was pastor first 
at Deep Run, in Bucks county, and afterwards at 
Chestnut Level, where he died in 1801. He was the 
author of an excellent and exhaustive work on the 
subject of psalmody, published a few years before his 
death, designed to show that it is the duty of Chris- 
tians to take the principal subjects and occasions of 
their psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, from the 
gospel of Christ. He had four sons, Francis, William, 
John Ewing, and James, (all of whom became Pres- 
byterian ministers,) and one son-in-law, the Rev. 
Thomas Love. The Rev. Robert P. Du Bois of New 
London, married a grand-daughter — the daughter of 
Rev. John E. Latta. 

The Rev. James Latta w^as a man of remarkable 
energy and firmness in every good cause, and dis- 
charged with ability, high fidelity and unceasing 
earnestness, the duties of the Christian ministry over 
fifty-two years. He was indefatigable in ministerial 
labor, and preached a great deal at private houses 
and school-houses through the large bounds of his 
congregation. His style of preaching was earnest, 
animated, and impressive, and the matter of his 
sermons was solid and thoroughly evangelical. 

He was a man of great readiness of speech, shrewd 
in silencing errorists, w-as quick-witted, ready at re- 
tort, and sometimes keenly satirical. He was an 



122 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

adversary that it was not always safe to attack in 
wordy war. 

As an instance of his ready wit, I remember being 
present in the General Assembly in Philadelphia in 
1861, of which he was a member, when some one was 
making a "tedious speech. Mr. Latta called him to 
order ; but being overruled by the Moderator, he re- 
marked, in an under tone, that " it would be greatly 
to the consolation of the Assembly to have a few 
chapters of the book of Job read !" 

As a pastor he was faithful, attentive to the young, 
the sick and afflicted, and very earnest iii hunting up 
wanderers, and persuading people to attend upon 
the means of grace. He loved good singing, and ex- 
celled in it himself, and was a warm friend of Sabbath- 
schools. 

This community in which he had his home, bears 
upon every hand the clear and deep traces of his life 
and character. None that ever crossed his thresh- 
hold can forget his cordial welcome, his graceful hos- 
pitality, or his genuine kindness, and there will long 
linger pleasant memories of his warm and abiding 
friendship, and his ministries of sympathy. He was 
extensively known, and so highly esteemed as a faith- 
ful Christian minister, that he became the centre of 
a very extended circle of acquaintanceship. 

From m}^ earliest recollection of him until he 
passed beyond mortal ken, I enjoyed his unbroken 
friendship, and I am glad to have this opportunity of 
paying my humble tribute to his memory. 

On a most lovely day in the month of June, his 



HISTORICAL DISCOUESE. 123 

remains were borne to their resting place in yonder 
" city of the dead." His funeral was attended by a 
vast concourse of people from the surrounding country, 
and by many who gathered from distant parts. A 
very large number of his brethern in the ministry 
were also present to testify their high regard for his 
memory. 

The monument in front of the family vault, is 
situated on the spot occupied by the pulpit of the 
old church, in which for thirty years he preached the 
everlasting gospel. He was the fourth pastor of this 
church, whose sepulchres are with us to this day, and 
whose united ministries within its walls extended 
over a period of more than a century. 

The house in which Mr. Latta resided, had at the 
time of his death, been the residence of ministers of 
the gospel for about one hundred and twenty years. 

During his ministerial life of fifty-two years, he 
performed the marriage ceremony three hundred and 
twenty-one times — the greatest number in any one 
year being in 1821, when he united seventeen 
couples. 

The Rev. Francis A. Latta, the eldest brother of 
Rev. James Latta, was for some years a resident 
within the bounds of this congregation. He was 
ordained November 23, 1796, and was pastor suc- 
cessively of Presbyterian churches in Wilmington, 
Del., and Lancaster and Chestnut Level, Pa., in 
which latter place he also maintained a classical school 
for many ^^ears. 

In the year 1826, he removed to Sadsbury town- 



124 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

ship, Chester county, and established the " Moscow 
Academy," a classical and literary institution, which 
flourished for many years. I received my early 
classical education at this school, and have a very 
kindly remembrance of my preceptor. Of the 
teachers, I have gathered the names of Andrew 
Dinsmore, John McCullough, David McCarter, John 
M. Bear, John Turbitt, Gaylord L.More, and J. Smith 
Futhey. There were others, whose names I cannot 
recall. Of those I have mentioned, Mr. McCullough, 
Mr. McCarter, Mr. Bear, and Mr. More became 
ministers of the gospel. Robert Love, a brother of 
Rev. Thomas Love, who was a student for some 
years in this academy, also entered the ministry. 

The Rev. Francis A. Latta was a man of remarka- 
bly well cultivated mind, a poet of no mean order, a 
very superior classical and Hebrew scholar, and one 
of the greatest instructors of the day. He was able 
in debate, clear, discriminating and decided in judg- 
ment, and a model in the pulpit. In his manners he 
was social, and in his deportment humble and unos- 
tentatious. He died April 21, 1834, at the age of 
sixty-seven, and was interred in the Upper Octorara 
burial ground. 

As an historical item worth preserving in connec- 
tion with the academy established by Mr. Latta, it 
may be mentioned, that about the close of the late 
war with Great Britain, there seems to have been a 
mania for laying out towns. John Pettit, who was 
the owner of a valuable tavern house and fifty acres 
of land in Sadsbury township, Chester county, on the 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. - 125 

Lancaster and Philadelphia turnpike road, known as 
" The General Wayne," sold it, in the year 1814, to 
Abraham Brenneman and others, for the sum of six- 
teen thousand dollars. They laid out thereon a toivn, 
to which they gave the name of Moscow, from the 
city of Moscow, in Russia, then recently reduced by 
the flame, to prcA^ent its occupation by the invading 
army of Napoleon Bonaparte. They undertook to 
dispose of the property by a lottery — the public 
house being the highest prize. Various lots were 
disposed of in this way, at prices ranging from two hun- 
dred and fifty to five hundred dollars, calling for streets 
bearing such Russian names as Cossacks, Wyburg, 
Alexander, Charlesburg, and others. One lot was set 
apart for a church, and another for a seminary. Fifteen 
lots, including the tavern house, which had been 
drawn by parties in Lancaster county, and containing 
altogether about four acres, were subsequently sold 
to Daniel Hiester and John Duer for eight thousand 
dollars. 

The plot was gotten up in fine style, and presented 
an attractive appearance, but the toivn flourished only 
on paper. The project failed, and the lots, which 
had been purchased for eight thousand dollars, and 
on which a prudent money-lender had invested three 
thousand dollars on mortgage, were sold by the sheriff 
for thirteen hundred dollars. Cossacks street be- 
came again the common turnpike road, and the others 
returned to the bosom of the farm from which they 
had sprung. 

It was on this property the "Moscow Academy" 



126 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

was subsequently located, and from whicli it derived 
its name. It is now owned by George Lincoln. 

In 1830, Rev. James Latta established a boarding 
school for girls called " The Mantua Female Semi- 
nary," which was for several years quite successful. 
At one time it had as many as thirty boarders, 
besides a number of day scholars. It occupied the 
building on the Lancaster and Philadelphia turnpike, 
now the residence of Dr. William S. Latta. Among 
the teachers were Miss Margaret McCullough, Miss 
Mary D. R. McCorkle, now Mrs. Mary D. R. Boyd, 
Miss Martha Wells and Miss Eliza Martin, now the 
wife of Rev. Gaylord L. More. 

On the 26th of March, 1851, the Rev. James M. 
Crowell was elected pastor of the church, as the suc- 
cessor of Mr. Latta, and was ordained and installed 
by the Presbytery of New Castle on the 3d of June 
following. On this occasion, the Rev. Alfred Hamil- 
ton presided. Rev. John M. Dickey preached the 
ordination sermon, Rev. S. R. Wyncoop delivered the 
charge to the pastor, and Rev. A. G. Morrison the 
charge to the people. Mr. Crowell had been licensed 
by the Presbytery of Philadelphia on the 6th of 
January, 1851, while a student in the theological 
seminary at Princeton. 

He was pastor until the 14th of April, 1857, when 
he was released to accept a call from the Seventh 
Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, over which he 
was installed on the 10th of May of that year. 

When he came to Octorara, the number of mem- 
bers was two hundred and fortv-six. There were 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 127 

added during his pastorate, on profession of faith, 
ninety-seven, and on certificate forty-seven ; and dur- 
ing the same period fifty-four infants and thirty-six 
adults were baptized. On the last occasion, on which 
he administered the communion, thirty-two were added 
to the church, as the fruits of a precious season of re- 
freshing. At the close of his ministry here, the church 
numbered about three hundred and thirty members. 

Mr. Crpwell was born in Philadelphia, June 9, 
1827. His father, Elisha Crowell, was for about 
thirty years a druggist and apothecary in that city. 
His mother, Susan McMuUin, was the daughter of 
Robert McMullin, a ruling elder in the Pine Street 
or Third Presbyterian Church, during the pastorate 
of Dr. Archibald Alexander. 

Mr. Crowell's preparation for college was made at 
the West Chester Academy, under the charge of Mr. 
James Crowell. He entered the sophomore class in the 
College of New Jersey, and graduated in 1848, about 
fourth in a class of eighty students. While in college, 
he was elected by his class-mates editor of the Nassau 
Literary Magazine, and by the American Whig 
Society was chosen one of four junior orators to 
represent the society in competition with four from 
the Cliosophic Society, at the centennial commence- 
ment of the college. 

After his graduation, he taught the classics and 
mathematics at the West Chester Academy one year, 
and during that time pursued his theological studies 
under the direction of his cousin, Rev. John Crowell, 
preparatory to entering the seminary. 



128 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The degree of ^^ Doctor of Divinity" was conferred 
upon him by Princeton College in December, 1864. 
He is now pastor of St. Peter's Church, Rochester, 
N. Y. 

In a letter which I have recently received from 
Mr. Crowell, in speaking of his ministry among you, 
he says, " Never can I forget the clinging love, the 
tender constancy, the gentle kindness, the indulgent 
forbearance, the warm, welcoming cordiality, and the 
universal attachment of the dear people of Octorara 
Church. I lived among them nearly six years, and 
never once had my feelings wounded, nor my wishes 
crossed ; and, when I left them, felt sure they all 
loved me. God bless them all !" 

The Highland Presbyterian Church — an outpost of 
this congregation — was erected in the years 1851 to 
1855, through the exertions of some ladies, who, by 
personal solicitation, secured the necessary funds, 
and was dedicated on the 14th day of June, 1855, 
the services being conducted by Mr. Crowell, assisted 
by Rev. Henry Steele Clarke, Rev. Robert P. Du 
Bois and Rev. Joseph E. Nassau. 

It is used by the pastor of this church as a place 
of holding afternoon service, and during the summer 
by the Highland Sunday-school. A charter of in- 
corporation was procured in 1851, the first board of 
trustees, consisting of Samuel Futhey, William 
Stewart and Israel McClellan. The present trustees 
are Israel McClellan, R. Agnew Futhey, and Jeffer- 
son Gibson. 

Mr. Crowell was succeeded by Rev. Alexander 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 129 

Reed, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Washington, 
who was called on the 27th of June, 1857, and 
ordained and installed on the 8th of October follow- 
ing. The services were presided over^by the Rev. 
James Otterson, who also gave the /^t^Hmm~lo the 
pastor. The sermon was preached by the Rev. John 
Sqnier, and the charge to the people given by the 
Rev. Dr. Spottswood. 

On the 10th of March, 1857, the congregation pur- 
chased from Joseph Stott one acre and a half of 
ground immediately adjoining the church property on 
the south, and in the summer of that year erected 
thereon a commodious and comfortable manse. The 
present fence around the church lot was constructed 
in 1859. 

In 1862-3, during the war of the rebellion, Mr. 
Reed was in the service of the United States Chris- 
tian Commission about six months as " general 
superintendent," and in that capacity — the duties of 
which were many and various, and performed with 
zeal and discretion — rendered very efficient service 
to the cause. He was also elected chaplain of the 
Second Pennsylvania Cavalry, but did not accept the 
position. During his absence, the pulpit was supplied 
by Mr, Frederick R. Wotring, then a licentiate of the 
Presbytery of Washington, now pastor of the Mans- 
field Church, in Allegheny county, Pa. 

At a meeting of the Presbytery, held in this church 
in October, 1864, a call was presented to Mr. Reed 
from the Central Presbyterian Church of Philadel- 
phia, which he held under consideration until the 



130 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

adjourned meeting of Presbytery during the sessions 
of Synod, when it was accepted by him, and his rela- 
tion to this church was dissolved. His attachment 
to the people here was strong, and he severed the 
pastoral tie with very great reluctance, and only 
when advised by physicians that the preservation of 
his health required he should do so. 

While Mr. Reed was pastor of this church, one 
hundred and eighty-six were added to its roll of 
membership on profession of faith, of whom eighty- 
one were added during the communion seasons of 
October, 1858, and April, 1859, the fruits of a revival 
of religion with which the church was blessed. Dur- 
ing the same period, forty-one were added on certi- 
ficate. The number of baptisms was seventy-six. 
At the communion season, in October, 1864, ju«t 
previous to the close of his ministry here, thirty were 
added to the membership of the church. 

Mr. Reed was a son of Dr. Robert R. Reed, and 
was born near Washington, Pa., September 28, 1832. 
He graduated at Washington College in 1851, taught 
in Georgia in 1852 and 1853, graduated at the West- 
ern Theological Seminary in 1856, and was licensed 
by the Presbytery of Washington on the 17th of 
April of the latter year. He subsequently spent a 
fourth year at the seminary. 

The degree of "Doctor of Divinity," was conferred 
upon him by the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, 
in 1865. He has been a member of all the boards 
of the church, except that of Church Extension, and 
is one of the trustees of the General Assembly. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 131 

On the question of the union of the two branches 
of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Reed took decided 
ground from the first agitation of the subject, and 
was an ardent advocate of all measures tending to 
promote that object. He presided at the meeting of 
ministers and elders which called the great conven- 
tion of all branches of the Presbyterian family held 
in Philadelphia in September, 1867, and (with others) 
called and addressed the first meeting held in the 
country in favor of the basis adopted by the General 
Assemblies of the two branches in 1868. This meet- 
ing was held in the Central Presbyterian Church in 
Philadelphia. 

In March, 1861, thirty-six members of this church, 
received certificates of dismission to connect them- 
selves with churches in Harrisburg. This was occa- 
sioned by the removal of the workshops of the Penn- 
sylvania Railroad from Parkesburg to Harrisburg. 

During the year following Mr. Reed's removal to 
Philadelphia, the pulpit was vacant. Rev. Alfred 
H. Kellogg and Rev. Frederick H. Wines had been 
successively elected as pastor, but had both de- 
clined. 

On the 29th of August, 1865, a call was extended 
to the Rev. John J. Pomeroy, the present pastor, 
which was accepted by him, and he Avas duly in- 
stalled on the 14th day of November following. 

Mr. Pomeroy was born in Roxbury, Franklin 
county. Pa. He prepared for college at Tuscarora 
Academy, graduated at Lafayette College in 1857, 
and at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1861, and 



132 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

was licensed by Carlisle Presbytery on the 10th of 
April of the latter year. 

He was ordained by the Presbytery of Lewes on 
the 28th of November, 1861, and installed as pastor 
of the church at Dover, Delaware, the pulpit of which 
church he had supplied from the 1st of June pre- 
ceding. 

He was commissioned as chaplain of the Thirty- 
second Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers (Third 
Pennsylvania Reserves) on September 16, 1862, and 
served until its term of enlistment expired, on June 
17, 1864. He then became chaplain of the One 
Hundred and Ninety-eighth Regiment of Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers, a newly organized regiment, con- 
taining many of the officers and men who had for- 
merly served in the old Reserve Corps, and filled the 
position until the regiment was mustered out of the 
service at the close of the war, June 3, 1865. 

During the five years of Mr. Pomeroy's pastorate, 
seventy-eight have been added to the church on pro- 
fession of faith, and sixty-two on certificate ; sixty- 
one have been dismissed to unite with other churches, 
and thirty-two have died. During the same period, 
forty infants and thirty-five adults have been bap- 
tized. The present number of communicants is about 
three hundred and twenty. 

The Sunday-schools connected with the congrega- 
tion are at the present time six in number, held re- 
spectively at Sadsburyville, Parkesburg, Highland, 
Pomeroy, Rockdale and at the church, comprising about 
four hundred scholars, taught by sixty-three teachers. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 133 

The libraries contain about sixteen hundred volumes. 
During the last four years, one hundred and two 
scholars have received the reward of a Bible, for hav- 
ing committed perfectly to memory the Shorter Cate- 
chism. This " right arm of the church," the Sabbath- 
school, is very fully appreciated and sustained by the 
members. 

There has also been contributed during the past 
five years to the boards of the church and to kindred 
objects, $3,266, and for congregational purposes, 
$10,266. About $3,000 of this latter sum have been 
expended for repairs to the meeting-house, manse, 
and graveyard. There is an increase from year to 
year in the aggregate contributions. The pastor's 
salary is now twelve hundred and fifty dollars, besides 
the manse and the use of the grounds belonging to 
the congregation. 

During the past year, the graveyard attached to 
this church has, at considerable expense, been 
thoroughly cleaned and put in excellent condition. 
The work is highly creditable to the present board 
of trustees, who certainly deserve many thanks for 
the intelligent and thorough manner in which they 
have performed their task. The time is happily 
passing away in which burial places have been so 
generally regarded with indifference, and now it is 
gratifying to every person of good taste and correct 
feeling, to find, instead of tall grass and leaning 
grave-stones and sunken graves, cemeteries and en- 
closures so neatly kept as to make them attractive as 
places of profitable meditation. 



134 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

It is to be regretted that for want of a session- 
book, the names of those who officiated as ruling 
elders in the early history of this church cannot be 
fully ascertained. 

We know that Arthur Park was an elder in 1724, 
when Mr. Boyd became pastor, and therefore one of 
the first elders. In 1730, Hugh Cowan was an elder 
and represented the church in Presbytery. Prior to 
1799, the following persons were also elders, viz., 
Thomas Hope, Matthew Shields, William Boggs, 
John Park, John Fleming, Sr., Thomas Boj^d, son of 
Rev. Adam Boyd, Joseph Cowan, William Clingan, 
James Glendenning, Gideon Irwin, Arthur Park, (the 
second elder of that name,) George Boyd, and Henry 
McClellan. Of these, Thomas Hope, Matthew 
Shields, and William Boggs were elders in the New 
Side church. 

John Fleming, Sr., was an elder as early as 1762, 
and William Clingan, Esq., as early as 1770. Arthur 
Park (second) is first mentioned in 1778, and George 
Boyd and Henry McClellan in 1790. 

In 1799, John Fleming, Jr., (son of John Fleming, 
Sr.,) Thomas Hope, (second elder of that name,) 
James Boyd, Adam Cowan and James Cowan were 
elected and ordained. 

When Mr. Latta became pastor in 1810, the bench 
of elders consisted of John Fleming, Sr., Arthur 
Park, George Boyd, Henry McClellan, John Flem- 
ing, Jr., and James Cowan. 

In 1812, John Smith, Esq., John G. Parke, Thomas 
McClellan, and John Withrow, became members of 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 135 

the Session; in 1821, James B. Stewart, Thomas 
Scott, and John Hudders ; in 1824, Martin Arm- 
strong and Capt. Thomas Stewart; in 1832, Ben- 
jamin Davis and John M. Withrow; in 1836, William 
Whiteside and James G. Long; in 1841, Andrew 
Gibson, William N. Long, and Samuel W. Scott; in 
1855, Samuel Armstrong, George Richmond, and 
Joseph Wiley; in 1860, Oliver Gayley; and in 1868, 
James Morgan Rawlins, Thomas R. Hoofman, John 
Andrew Parke, and Samuel Walker. The four last 
named, with George Richmond and Oliver Gayley, 
compose the present bench of elders. 

The office of Deacon was for many years filled by 
William Stewart, Thomas Maitland and Samuel 
Armstrong. The present deacons are John N. Chal- 
fant, and Samuel R. Parke; elected and ordained in 
1868. 

Of those who have been sexton, I have the names 
of William Kennedy, William Andrews, Archibald 

Gilfillan, James Hill, Heyburn, Thomas Ross, 

Thomas McMullin, Christopher Graham, Benjamin 
Harley, and George Shoemaker. 

An incident has been related to me, as having oc- 
curred during the incumbency of Thomas McMullin, 
which those of you, who recollect him, may perhaps, 
appreciate : On a pleasant summer day, — the church 
well filled and many strangers present, — Mr. Latta 
was somewhat annoj^ed by the noise made by some 
boys, who had congregated in the vestibule. Turn- 
ing to Thomas McMullin, the sexton, who was seated 
near the pulpit, he said to him in alow voice, "Thomas, 



136 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

I wish you would see if there are not some boys in 
the vestibule?" meaning, that he should admonish 
them to be quiet. Thomas, how^ever, interpreting 
the request literally, proceeded to the door, looked 
into the vestibule, turned around and exclaimed, 
"Yes, Mr. Latta, there are lots of them!" 

This church has at different times, had on its roll of 
members, men who occupied positions of influence in the 
state. Of these, I will briefly mention the following: 

Col. Andrew Boyd — son of Rev. Adam Boyd — was 
during a part of the Revolutionary war, Lieutanant of 
the County of Chester; a position of much responsi- 
bility. 

William Clingan, Esq., was a sterling, patriotic citi- 
zen of West Cain township. He held a commission 
as justice of the peace, from 1757 to 1786, and for 
the last six years of that period, was President of 
the County Courts. From 1777 to 1779, he was a 
member of the Continental Congress, during which 
period the Articles of Confederation were adopted, 
under which the country was governed from 1778 to 
1789, when the present Constitution went into ope- 
ration. In 1779, he was appointed to receive sub- 
scriptions to the resolve of Congress, for borrowing 
twenty millions of dollars. He left no descendants. 

John Fleming, Sr., was a member from Chester 
County, of the convention which framed the State 
Constitution of 1776, and also of the Assembly of 
Pennsylvania in 1778. 

Dr. Joseph Gardner, was an active man among the 
revolutionary patriots of Chester county — was a mem- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 137 

ber of Assembly in the years 1776, 1777 and 1778; 
and was chosen a counsellor in 1779. He was also a 
memberof the Continental Congress in 1784 and 1785. 
He resided on the property now owned by Richard 
McPherson, near Sadsburyville, and practiced his 
profession. His descendants rank among the most 
respectable citizens of our ancient county. 

Jospph Park, Esq., was a member of Assembly 
in the years 1779, 1780, 1783, 1784, 1802 and 
1807. 

Stephen Cochran was a member of Assembly in 
1777, and of the House of Representatives after the 
adoption of the new constitution in 1790. 

John Gardner, a son of Dr. Joseph Gardner, was 
sheriff of Chester County, from 1781 to 1783, to 
which office he was unanimously elected. He was 
A-^ery active in the Revolutionary war. 

Methuselah Davis was a member of the House of 
Representatives of Pennsylvania, in 1802, 1803, 1804 
and 1805. Francis Gardiner was a member in 1803. 

Samuel Cochran — descended from a family who 
originally belonged to this church — was a member of 
the House of Representatives, in 1816 and 1817, and 
of the Senate of Pennsylvania from 1818 to 1820. 
He was also Surveyor General under the administra- 
tion of Governor McKean, from 1800 to 1809 ; and 
under that of Governor Hiester, from 1821 to 1824. 
He was a prominent man in his day, prepossessing in 
his appearance, held in high esteem by his neighbors, 
and his advice was sought by them in their difficul- 
ties. As evidence of his standing, it may be added, 

10 



138 UPPER OCTORAEA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

that he was forty years a ruling elder in the Faggs 
Manor Presbyterian Church. 

John G. Parke was a member of the Assembly in 
1818; Wallace Boyd, in 1818, 1821 and 1822; Rob- 
ert Futhey, in 1841 and 1842; Robert Parke, in 
1843, 1844 and 1845; and David J. Bent, in 1849, 
1850 and 1851. 

Robert Parke was alsoanAssociate Judge of Cliester 
County, by appointment of Governor Pollock, to fill an 
unexpired term, from May to December 1856 ; and 
by election, from December, 1858, to December, 1863. 

R. Agnew Futhey, was County Superintendent of 
Common Schools of Chester County, from 1854 to 
1857, being the first incumbent in that office. 

There are doubtless other names which should be 
added to this list, but which are not now remembered. 

This church has also given many of her sons to the 
ministry. 

The Rev. Samuel Parke, son of Joseph Parke, 
Esq., was born November 25, 1788. He graduated 
at Dickinson College in 1809; studied divinity under 
the direction and instruction of Rev. Nathan Grier, of 
Forks of Brandy wine — there being then'no Theological 
Seminaries in the church — and was licensed by the 
Presbytery of New Castle, in 1813. He was or- 
dained and installed pastor of the Slate Ridge 
Church, in York County, in August, 1814, and sus- 
tained that relation for forty-three years. During 
thirty years of this time, he was also pastor of 
Centre Church, giving to it, one-third of his time. 
He discharged the duties of the ministry with great 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 139 

fidelity, and to the acceptance of his congregation, 
until 1857, when, on account of the infirmities of 
age, he resigned. He died on the 20th of December, 
1869, in the eighty-second year of his age. His 
wife was a daughter of his preceptor. Rev. Nathan 
Grier. His son. Rev. Nathan Grier Parke, gradu- 
ated at Jefferson College, in 1840, and at the Prince- 
ton Theological Seminary in 1844; was licensed by 
the Presbytery of Donegal, April 30, 1843; and is 
now pastor of the Presbyterian Church, in Pittston,Pa. 
In 1867, he visited Europe, and was one of the repre- 
sentatives of the Old School Presbyterian Church of 
this country, in the Assemblies of the Free Church, 
and of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland. 
Rev. John F. Cowan — son of Adam Cowan — was 
born May 8, 1801. He first learned the printing 
business in Lancaster, but at the termination of his 
apprenticeship, entered upon studies with a view to 
the Christian ministry. He was a subject of the 
great revival which spread among the churches in 
1821 and 1822. He graduated at Jefierson College 
in 1824; studied theology in the Seminary at Prince- 
ton, and was licensed by the Presbytery of New 
Castle, April 8, 1829. He soon thereafter emigrated 
to the West, and was ordained by the Presbytery 
of Missouri, in 1830. His first charges were the 
churches of Apple Creek and Brazeau, Missouri; to 
which, in 1833, Cape Girardeau was added. Here 
he labored until 1839, when he became pastor 
of the churches of Potosi and Belleview, in the 
same state. This connection he maintained until 



140 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

1852. From 1853 to 1856, he was stated supply 
of the church at Washington, Mo., Avhen he took 
charge of the church at Carondolet; and after the 
breaking out of the Rebellion, he was also chaplain 
of the military hospital in St. Louis. In this latter 
service, he incurred the disease which terminated his 
life on the 29th of September, 1862. 

Mr. Cowan was in the fullest sense, an evangelist, 
"in labors abundant," and crowned with the most 
joyful success. He was a pioneer of the Church in 
Missouri, and was instrumental in founding and 
strengthening a number of churches. 

He lived respected by all who knew him, and be- 
loved by those who knew him best, and his name is 
held in grateful remembrance by hundreds of con- 
verts, who claim him as their spiritual father. He 
visited this congregation about 1849, and took an 
active part in the revival of that period; and many 
of the members of this church, who were brought 
within the fold of Christ at that time, cherish his 
memory with affection. 

He has two sons in the ministry, the Rev. John F. 
Cowan and the Rev. Edward Payson Cowan, both of 
whom graduated at Westminster College, Missouri; 
and at the Theological Seminary at Princeton; and 
were licensed to preach by the Central Presbytery 
of Philadelphia — the first in 1860, and the last in 
1864. Rev. John F. Cowan is now pastor of the 
Aux Vasse Church in Missouri, and Rev. Edward P. 
Cowan, of the Market Square Church in German- 
town, Pa. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 141 

Rev. John Wallace — the son of Charles and Ann 
(Truman) Wallace — was born October 1, 1791. He 
was self educated, both in regard to his classical at- 
tainments and theology; and was licensed by the 
Presbytery of New Castle, October 4, 1826, the 
Presbytery, in their minutes recording his licensure, 
saying "his being an exceptional case." On the 5th 
of November, 1833, he was ordained and installed as 
pastor of the churches of Pequea and Cedar Grove, 
in Lancaster County. In 1839, Cedar Grove became 
a distinct charge, and his pastoral relation to that 
church was dissolved. He continued his connection 
with Pequea, until his death, October 29, 1866. He 
was highly esteemed by his ministerial brethren, and 
was known throughout the whole region of his labors, 
as an eminently good and faithful man. 

Rev. William Pinkerton was born near Sadsbury- 
ville, pursued his preparatory studies at New London 
Academy, graduated at Washington College, Pa., in 
1833, studied theology at Princeton Theological Semi- 
nary, and was licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle, 
September 10, 1839. He has been pastor successively 
of the Cove Church, in Albemarle County, Virginia; 
High Bridge Church, in Rockbridge County, Virginia, 
and of CoUierstown Church in the same county. His 
present charge is Mt. Carmel, Augusta County, Virginia. 

Rev. James Long Scott — son of Thomas Scott — 
was born October 27, 1812, pursued his preparatory 
studies at Moscow Academy, graduated at Jefferson 
College in' 1833; studied theology in Princeton Semi- 
nary, from 1835 to 1838; and was ordained by New 



142 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Castle Presbytery, on September 25th of the latter 
year, as a missionary to the heathen. 

On October 10, 1838, he sailed. for India as a mis- 
sionary of the Board of Foreign Missions, of the 
Presbyterian Church. There he labored thirteen 
years, at the three stations of Futtehgurh, Mynpoora 
and Agra. He then returned home, and after re- 
maining a year and a half in this country, returned to 
India in 1853, and was stationed at Agra, until after 
the memorable year of the mutiny, when so many 
valuable lives of our missionaries were lost. He 
then went again to Futtehgurh, where he spent 
several years, and until failing health required a 
change of climate, when he repaired to the Hima- 
laya mountains, and engaged in preparing a com- 
mentary on the Gospels in the Hindostani language. 

His health not improving, he was advised by medi- 
cal men to leave India, which he did, and returned to 
this country, after having spent twenty-seven years 
in missionary labor. 

He now resides at Hammonton, New Jersey, where 
he conducts a Family Boarding School. 

Bev. William F. P. Noble, received his academic 
education at the Strasburg Academy, in Lancaster 
County; graduated at Lafayette College in 1847; 
studied theology at Princeton; was licensed by the 
Potosi Presbytery, of South Eastern Missouri, in 
January, 1857; and by the same Presbytery or- 
dained as an evangelist, in April of the same year. 

He became pastor of the Presbyterian church at 
Belair, Maryland, Avithin the bounds of the Presby- 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 143 

tery of Baltimore, in October, 1858, and continued 
in that relation until April, 18G0. From November 
25th, 1862, to October 6th, 1863, he was pastor of 
the Upper West Nottingham Church, in this county ; 
during the rebellion, was a chaplain in the United 
States Army ; supplied Colerain Presbyterian Church 
from 1866 to 1869 ; and on the 13th of May of the 
latter year was installed by the Presbytery of New 
Castle as pastor of the Penningtonville Presbyterian 
Church. 

Owing to the state of his health, Mr. Noble has 
employed himself largely in missionary work, labor- 
ing from place to place, as opportunity offered. 

Rev. John P. Clarke, prepared for college in Rev. 
S. M. Gayley's Classical Institute at Wilmington, 
Delaware ; graduated at Lafayette College in July, 
1856 ; pursued his theological studies for two years 
in the Western Theological Seminary at Allegheny, 
and a third year at the Seminary at Princeton ; was 
licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle April 11, 
1860, and was ordained as an evangelist by the Pres- 
bytery of Huntingdon in the autumn of 1861. He 
labored within the bounds of the latter Presbytery 
as stated supply and missionary from 1861 to 1865, 
the first two years of which period his points of 
preaching were at Philipsburg, Kylertown, and 
Moshanon; and the last two at Moshanon, Snow 
Shoe, and Karthaus. 

On the 29th of September, 1865, he was elected 
pastor of the Doe Run Presbyterian Church, in this 
county, where he had labored as supply from June 



144 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

preceding, and was installed by the Presbytery of 
New Castle on the 24th of May, 1866. He con- 
tinned in that relation until April, 1868, since which 
time he has been laboring as stated supply of Little 
Valley Church, in Mifflin county, Pa. 

Rev. John L. Withrow pursued his preparatory 
studies at the Tuscarora Academy, and the Media 
Classical Institute, graduated at Princeton College in 
1857, and at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1863, 
and was licensed by New Castle Presbytery while 
still in the seminary. 

His first charge was at Abington, near Philadelphia, 
over which he was installed in March, 1863, and 
where he remained until December, 1868, when he 
became pastor of the Arch Street Presbyterian 
Church in Philadelphia. 

During his ministry at Abington, the contributions 
to the general operations of the church increased more 
than four fold, the membership more than doubled, 
the attendance was largely multiplied, and a new 
church edifice erected, at a cost of thirty thousand 
dollars, all of which was paid. 

Rev. Thomas S. Long was for a time at the 
academies in Strasburg and Coatesville, but his 
classical studies preparatory to his college course, 
were pursued at the Tuscorora Academy. He gradu- 
ated at Lafayette college July 27, 1864 ; spent three 
years in the theological seminary in Princeton, and 
graduated there April 23, 1867. 

He was licensed by New Castle Presbytery, April 
10, 1866, and was ordained and installed pastor of 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 145 

the church at Pequea, as the successor of Rev. John 
Wallace on May 7, 1867. 

Mr. William Filson* spent five years at the 
Tuscarora Academy — the last three of them as 
teacher — graduated at Lafayette College in 1868, 
entered the Western Theological Seminary the same 
year, and was licensed by the Presbytery of Hunting- 
don June 14, 1870. 

Rev. James Bolton, now pastor of the Reformed 
(Dutch) Church at Colt's Neck, I^ew Jersey, was a 
resident within the bounds of this congregation, and 
an attendant upon its services from 1843 to 1847, 
and received here religious impressions which ulti- 
mately resulted in his conversion and dedication to 
the Christian ministry. 

He graduated at Union College, Schenectady, in 
1851, studied theology at the Union Seminary in 
New York, and was licensed by the Presbytery of 
Brooklyn in 1853. For two years thereafter he 
occupied the position of professor of history and 
belles lettres in a collegiate institute in New York. 
He subsequently transferred his ecclesiastical rela- 
tions to the Reformed (Dutch) Church, and prior to 
his present charge, was pastor of the Reformed 
Church at Fordham, New York. 

In addition to these, the Rev. Samuel T. Lowrie — 
Avhose maternal grand-parents were members of this 
church, and who is a lineal descendant of Arthur 
Park, the first ruling elder — is entitled to a place in 
this history. 

He was born in Pittsburg, February 8, 1835, 



146 URPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

graduated at the Miami University in 1852, spent 
four years in the Western Theological Seminary, and 
was licensed by the Presbytery of Ohio, (0. S.,) 
January 8, 1856. He went to Germany in April, 1856, 
and remained there until June, 1857, residing in Hei- 
delberg, and studying in the university at that place. 
He then made a pilgrimage to Syria and Palestine, 
and returned home in January, 1858. He was pastor 
of the church at Alexandria, in Huntingdon county, 
Pa., from December, 1858, to April, 1863, when he 
again spent some time in Europe. In 1864, he was 
with the army under General Sherman in Tennessee 
and Georgia, doing duty in hospitals and camps as a 
delegate of the Christian Commission. 

In October, 1864, he went to Philadelphia, and 
was instrumental in building up the Bethany Mission 
in that city, with which enterprise he was connected 
until April, 1869, when he became pastor of the 
church in Abington, Pa., as the successor of Rev. 
John L. Withrow, who, as already observed, is also 
a descendant of Arthur Park, the first. 

Mr. Edward P. Clark, a great-grandson of Rev. 
William Foster, is now in the Union Theological 
Seminary in New York, preparing for the ministry. 

In this connection I may add the name of Rev. 
Samuel A. Gayley — a son of Mr. Daniel Gayley, a 
venerable and highly esteemed member of this church 
— who was licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle, 
April 11, 1849, and is now pastor of the Lower West 
Nottingham Church, in Cecil County, Maryland. 

This church has also at different times, been the 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 147 

recipient of sums of money bequeathed to it by its 
members. 

In 1811, William Davidson bequeathed £10. This 
legacy — for some cause — does not appear to have ever 
been received. 

In 1813, William Minnes, three hundred and fifty 
dollars, which is now invested in stock of the Phila- 
delphia Bank. 

In 1815, John Mitchell, fifty dollars for the repair 
of the graveyard wall. This legacy was used in re- 
building the wall when the yard was enlarged, about 
the year 1843. 

In 1837, Eliza Ann Cairns, two hundred and forty- 
three dollars to discharge a debt, resting on the church 
building in Sadsburyville, and one hundred and fifty 
dollars for the support of the poor. The last named 
sum is invested in stock of the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road Company. 

In 1842, James Russell, fifty dollars for the repair 
of the graveyard well, which w^as used for that pur- 
pose. 

In 1843, James Boyd, two hundred dollars, for the 
support of the Gospel. This legacy is invested in 
stock of the Philadelphia Bank. 

In 1847, Tabitha Parke, one hundred dollars for 
the use of the church. This legacy was appropriated 
towards the payment of the debt incurred in erect- 
ing the present church building. 

In 1856, Samuel Parke McClellan, bequeathed a 
mortgage of twelve hundred and fifty dollars and the 



148 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

interest unpaid thereon. By a vote of the congrega- 
tion, these moneys were expended in the erection of 
the Manse. 

In 18G1, Enoch Stewart, two hundred dollars, 
which was expended in liquidating a portion of the 
debt incurred in erecting the Manse. 

In 1825, Eleanor Tate bequeathed a sum of money 
to John G. Parke, "for his kindness," which Mr. 
Parke donated to the Poor Fund of the Church, and 
it was invested, together with the legacy of Eliza Ann 
Cairns — already mentioned — in Pennsylvania Rail- 
road Stock. 

I make this record of these bequests, because I 
feel that particular honor is due to the memory of 
those, who devise liberal things in the way of sup- 
porting the Church. 

I have thus endeavored to trace the history of this 
Church, during the one hundred and fifty years which 
have run their course since its foundations were laid. 
Doubtless, many things which would have been in- 
teresting and instructive, have — for want of faithful 
chroniclers — passed beyond recall. 

I beg leave here to suggest, that full records be 
hereafter kept, so that when this church, fifty 
years hence, shall celebrate its bi-centenary ; the his- 
torian — now in his infancy, or mayhap, unborn— may 
find his task a comparatively light one, and be able to 
present its doings in the Master's vineyard in a sat- 
isfactory manner. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 149 

In this review, we see the power and subHmity of 
the religion of Christ. The influence of the church 
can never be known in time. "Its lines stretch out 
beyond mortal ken^ observed only by the eye of the 
Omniscient. Who can measure the good done by 
this church ? To comprehend it, in anything like 
its full measure and meaning, Ave must know the 
spiritual history of its numerous members, who gene- 
ration after generation, have impressed their lives 
upon the world. 

"The existence of a true church in a community is 
a power for good. There are a thousand influences 
which gather around the sanctuary, and the Sabbath, 
and the ordinances of the Church which mould the 
heart and shape the life, beyond what can possibly be 
known on earth." 

Through a century and a half, this Church has had 
a preached Gospel, and God's grace and mercy have 
very many times been specially poured out in answer 
to the prayers of his people. "Solemn spot, where 
the A'oice of instruction, of admonition, of comfort, 
and of peace have been so long heard." 

And that city of the dead, — through whose gaik- 
way so many of our friends have been borne, and 
which is filled with memorial stones, reared by the 
hand of affection, admonishing us of the flight of 
years, and the uncertainty of life, in that the sickle 
of time cuts down the young as well as the old — 
speaks to us of the importance of being in readiness 
for our own departure, when He, the Master, shall 
come and call for us. 



150 UPPER OCTORARA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

May God's blessing ever rest upon those who wor- 
ship in this sanctuary, may he protect from harm this 
old church of our fathers, and make all who gather 
within her walls, to become "holy and humble men 
of heart." 



APPENDIX. 



A. 

CHURCH OROANIZATION, 1870. 

PASTOR. 

Rev. John J. Pomeroy. 

RULING ELDERS. 

George Richmond, Oliver Gayley, 

James Morgan Rawlins, Thomas R. Hoofman, 

John Andrew Parke, Samuel Walker. 

DEACONS. 

John N. Chalfant, Samuel R. Parke. 

TRUSTEES. 
Greorge M. Boyd, President, R. AgnewFuthey, /S'ecretory, 

James Reid, Treasurer, J. Latta Stewart, 

Robert S. Scott, John Patrick, 

Richard McPherson. 

SEXTON. 

Georo-e Shoemaker. 



B. 

LIST OF SURNAMES OF THE EARLIEST MEMBERS 
OF UPPER OCTORARA. 

Persons bearing these names, were members prior to the middle 
of the last century. 

Alison, Boggs, Boyle, 

Blelock, Boyd, Clingan, 



\ 



io!^ 


APPENDIX. 




*• Cochran, 


Kyle, 


Rowan, 


Cowan, 


N Liggett, 


Sandford, 


Dickey, 


Lockhart, 


Scott, 


Filson, 


Luckey, 


Sharpe, 


Fleming, 


McAllister, 


Sloan, 


Grarduer, 


McNeil, 


Smith, 


Glendenning. 


McPhersou, 


Stewart, -^ 


Hamill, 


Mitchell, 


— Summeril, 


Henderson, 


Moody, 


Wiley, 


Heslep, 


Park, ^ 


Wilkin, 


Hope, 


Richmond, 


Wilson. 


Kerr, 


Robb, . 





c. 



PATENT FOR CHURCH LANDS. 



On the 25th of May 1743, there was surveyed unto Rev. x\dam 
Boyd, " in trust for the Presbyterian Congregation of LTpper Octo- 
rara, for the use of a meeting house and burial ground," a tract of 
land called " LTnion," situate in Sadsbury township, Chester County, 
described as follows: 

Beginning at a marked Red Oak, in a line of Adam Boyd's 
land, thence by lines of marked trees, the four courses and dis- 
tances following, viz. : south, thirty-nine perches to a marked 
Spanish Oak- east, eighteen perches to a marked White Oak; 
south, twenty-one peaches to a post; and west thirty-eight perches 
to a post, in a line of Robert Cooper's land; thence by the same 
north, sixty perches to a post, in a line of Adam Boyd's land ; 
thence by the same east, twenty perches to the place of beginning ; 
containing nine acres and one hundred and thirty-eight perches, 
and allowance of six acres per cent, for roads, &c. 

A Patent was granted for these lands on the 26th of April, 
1769, to Rev. William Foster, William Cliugau, Hugh Cowan, 
and John Fleming — who had been nominated by the congregation 
to receive it — to be held by them and their successors, "In trust 



APPENDIX. 



153 



to and for the purpose of erecting and continuing a church or house 
of religious worship, for the use of the United Presbyterian Con- 
gregation at Octorara, in Sadsbury township, and their descend- 
ants and successors, in sucli manner as the same congregation 
for the time being, shall from time to time, order, direct and ap- 
point, and to and for no other use or purpose whatsoever." 

This Patent is recorded in the office for recording of deeds, at 
Philadelphia, in book I, volume G, page 472. 



D. 

NAMES OF PEW-HOLDERS GIVEN ON A DRAFT OF 
THE OLD CHURCH. 

DATE NOT KNOWN, BUT SOME TIME IN THE LAST CENTURY. 



James Boyd, 

Thomas Heslep, 

Arthur Park, <^ 

John McPherson, 
• Samuel Wright, 
/ John Fleming, (East Cain,) 

George Richmond, 

James Cowan, 
^ John Fleming, Sr., 
/ John Fleming, Jr., 

John Morrison, 

William Stewart, 

Samuel Wilson, 

Robert Young, 

Samuel Futhey, 

Joseph Park, 

William Wilkin, 

John Sloan, 
v/ Rebecca Fleming, 

Isaac Wentz, 

Hannah Kiukead, 



John Pinkerton, 
John Park, - 
Andrew Stewart, 
Widow Kilpatrick, 
Samuel Copeland, 
Joseph Cowan, 
Alexander Glendenning, 
John Smith, 
Thomas and John Scott, 
John and Samuel Irwin, 
Richard McCluje, 
Wallace Boyd, 
William Davidson. 
Jacob Good, 
Llenry McClellan, 
Robert McClellan, 
James Arthur, 
William Divan, 
Widow Boyd, 
Sarah McKim, 
George Boyd. 
11 



154 



APPENDIX. 



E. 



LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO REBUILDING OF GRAVE- 
YARD WALL IN 1790. 



Arthur Park, 
Samuel McClellan, 
William Davidson, 
Joseph Gardner, 
John Park, ^ 
Robert Withrow, 
Joseph Fleming, 
William Crawford, 
William Allen, 
Thomas Scott, . 
Joseph Filson, 
James Grier, 
Samuel Futhey, 
George Boyd, 
Andrew Stewart, 
Henry McClellan, 
Robert McClellan, 
Thomas Officer, 
\ James Glendenning, 
John Fleming, Sr., 
Thomas Heslep, 
John Stille, 
^J Bryan McCune, 
William Wilkin, 
Thomas Hope, 

John Fleming, (of East Cain,) 
xVlice Fleming, 
Robert Hamill, 
George Richmond, 
Hannah Kiukead, 
xVdam Glendenning, 



John Ramsay, 
Samuel Wilson, 
John Sloan, 
James Boyd, 
John Smith. 
Gideon Smith, 
William Wiley, 
John McClellan, 
Joseph Park, ' 
Robert Cowan, 
John G. Park, ^ 
James Keys, 
William Keys, 
Alexander McPherson, 
David Fleming, 
Samuel Boyle, 
Robert McClellan, 
Francis Ruth, 
David Bailey, 
Agnes McPherson, 
James Cowan, 
Adam Cowan, 
Wallace Boyd, 
James Thompson, 
Mary Cowan, 
Jane Boyd, (widow,) 
Joan Wilkin, 
Joseph Wilson, 
Robert Forsyth, 
Edward Dougherty. 



APPENDIX. 155 

F. 

FIRST CALL GIVEN TO REV. JAMES LATTA. 

The congregation of Upper Octorara, being on sufficient ground 
well satisfied with the ministerial qualifications of you, Mr. James 
Latta, and having good hopes from your labours and good character, 
that your ministrations in the gospel will be profitable to our 
spiritual interests, do earnestly call and desire you to undertake 
the pastoral office in said congregation, the three-fourths of your 
time, promising you, in the discharge of your duty, all proper sup- 
port and encouragement and obedience in the Lord ; and that you 
may be free from worldly cares and avocations, we hereby promise 
and oblige ourselves to pay to you the sum of four hundred dollars 
annually, in regular half-yearly payments, during the time of your 
being and continuing the regular pastor of this church. 

In testimony whereof we have respectively subscribed our names 
in behalf of said congregation, this twenty-fourth day of September, 
Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and ten. 

This is to certify, that at a meeting of the congregation convened 
by previous notice, the foregoing call for Mr. James Latta was 
regularly and unanimously made and subscribed by said congrega- 
tion, agreeably to the rule prescribed in the Constitution of the 
Presbyterian Church. 



Sept. 2oth, 1810. 



Robert White, 

3Ioderator. 

Arthur Park, 

GrEORGE BOYD, 

Henry McClellan, 
John Fleming, Jr., 

Elders. 



156 APPENDIX. 



G. 



CHARTER OF INCORPORATION OF UPPER OCTO- 
RARA CHURCH. 

Granted by the Supreme Court op the State, May 5, 1812, and En- 
rolled IN the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, in 
Book No. 1, page 94. 

To all men to whom these presents shall come : know ye, that 
we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being citizens of the 
State of Pennsylvania, and members of the Presbyterian congrega- 
tion of Upper Octorara, in the County of Chester,' and State of 
Pennsylvania aforesaid, desirous of becoming incorporated, and 
acquiring and enjoying the powers and immunities of a corpora- 
tion or body politic in law, according to an act of the General 
Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, entitled " Arj 
Act to confer on certain associations of the citizens of the Com- 
monwealth the powers and immunities of corporations or bodies 
politic in law," we do therefore, by these presents, publish and de- 
clare that we have associated, and do hereby associate ourselves 
together for the said purposes, by the name, style, and title of 
" The Congregation of Upper Octorara," under the articles and 
conditions following, to wit : 

1st. The said subscribers, members of the said congregation and 
their successors, shall, according to the above recited act, become 
and be a corporation or body politic in law and in fact, to have 
continuance by the name, style and title of " The Congregation of 
Upper Octorara," and as such shall have full power and authority 
to make, have and use one common seal, with such device and in- 
scription as they shall deem proper, and the same to break, alter 
or renew at their pleasure, and by the name, style and title afore- 
said, be able and capable in law to sue and to be sued, plead and 
to be impleaded in any court or courts, before any judge or judges, 
justice or justices, in all manner of suits, complaints, pleas, causes, 
matters and demands whatsoever, and all and every matter or thing 
therein, to do in as full and effectual a manner as any other 
person or persons, or bodies corporate, within the Commonwealth 



APPENDIX. 157 

of Pennsylvania, may or can do, and shall be authorized and em- 
powered to make rules, by-laws and ordinances, and do every thing 
needful for the good government and support of the affairs of the 
said congregation ; provided, that the said by-laws, rules and ordi- 
nances, or any of them, be not repugnant to the constitution and 
laws of the United States, and the constitution and laws of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or to the present instrument upon 
which said corporation is founded and established. 

2d. The said subscribers, and other members of the said con- 
gregation, and their successors, by the name, style and title afore- 
said, shjlU be able and capable in law to take, receive and hold all 
and all manner of lands, tenements, rents, annuities, franchises and 
hereditaments, and any sum and sums of money, and any manner 
and portion of goods and chattels now the property of the said 
congregation, or held in trust for them, or hereafter to be granted, 
given, or bequeathed unto them, to be employed and disposed of 
towards the support of the gospel, and keeping in repair the 
church and burial ground belonging to the said congregation, and 
for such other purposes as the said congregation may deem most 
beneficial to the interests thereof, and the will and intention of the 
donor : provided, the clear yearly value or income of the messuages, 
houses, lands and tenements, rents, annuities, or other heredita- 
ments and real estate of the said congregation, and the interest of 
the money by them lent, shall not exceed the annual sum of five 
hundred pounds. 

3d. Every man who shall hold a pew or seat in the church of 
the said congregation, and shall have paid the annual price thereof 
within two years before any annual meeting of the congregation, 
and who is a professor of the Presbyterian faith, and no other, 
shall be members of this congregation. 

4th. The members of the said congregation shall meet on the 
first Monday in May annually, for the purpose of choosing a com- 
mittee consisting of seven of their members, which committee so 
chosen, or a majority of them, shall have authority to enact and 
ordain all necessary by-laws, and to do and perform all such other 
matters and things as may be necessary for the benefit of the said 
congregation, and shall meet annually for the said purpose on the 



158 APPENDIX. 

second Monday in May, at the said clmrch, and at sucli otter 
times and places as they may think proper. If in any year a com- 
mittee should not be chosen agreeable to these articles, the com- 
mittee chosen at the preceding election shall continue until a new 
election shall be held. They shall keep a minute of their proceed- 
ings, which, with a statement of their accounts, and of the funds 
of the congregation, shall be open to inspection at the annual 
meeting of the said conoTegation. 

5th. The committee shall take care that the debts, moneys, and 
other property belonging, accruing, or becoming due to the con- 
gregation from time to time, be as speedily as possible fully paid, 
collected and secured. 

6th. The names of those who present or bequeath to the congre- 
gation any money or other property, shall be recorded on the 
minutes of the committee. 

7th. The following named persons shall be the committee until 
the first Monday in May next, the time of the annual meeting of 
the congregation, viz. : Francis Gardner, Wallace Boyd, John 
Fleming, of East Cain, James Boyd, Thomas Scott, Joseph Kich- 
mond, and Samuel Boyd. 



H. 

LIST OF TRUSTEES FROM THE INCORPORATION OF 
THE CHURCH IN 1812, TO THE PRESENT TIxME, 

WITH THE YEARS IN WHICH THEY WERE FIRST ELECTED. MANY OF THEM 
SERVED AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME, AND SOME OP THEM FOR 
SEVERAL YEARS. 

1812, Francis Gardner, 1812, Joseph Richmond, 
Wallace Boyd, Samuel Boyd, 

John Fleming, (E. C.,) 1813, James Boyd, Jr., 
James Boyd, Robert Futhey, 

Thomas Scott, James Fleming, 



APPENDIX. 



159 



1816, Samuel Glasgow, 
George W. Parke, 

1819, Matthew Boyd, 
Thomas Richmond, 
William Noble, 

1820, Enoch Stewart, 
1822, Thomas Stewart, 

1824, Robert Cowan, 
Christopher Wigton, 

1825, John Parke, 
William Stewart, 

1826, John M. Withrow, 
George Fleming, 

1827, Francis Parke, 
Thomas H. Gardner, 
John Richmond, 

1832, Joseph C Boyd, 
Samuel W. Scott, 
William Whiteside, 
Samuel Parke McClellan, 



1832, Francis Armstrong, 

1837, John Gault, 

1839, David Parke, 

Sam'l D. McClellan, 

1843, Samuel Jackson, 

1846, Robert Hope, 

1849, William Irwin, 
William Fulton, 

1856, Robert Parke, 

J. Wilson Hershberger, 
John Andrew Parke, 

1862, Evan Jones, 

1866, George M. Boyd, 
R. Agnew Futhey, 
J. Latta Stewart, 

1868, James Reid, 
Robert S. Scott, 
Richard McPherson, 

1869, John Patrick. 



I. 



LIST OF PERSONS BURIED IN THE OLD "NEW SIDE" 
GRAVEYARD, 

ON THE FARM LATE OF CYRUS COOPER, DECEASED, SO FAR AS THE SAME 
ARE MARKED BY GRAVESTONES. 



Joseph Wilson, 
Hugh Wilson, 
Daniel Kerr, 
Mrs. Jane Hamill, 
Mrs. Jennet Wilson, 
Mary Hamill, 
Phebe Hamill, 



DATE OF DEATH. 

June 26, 1751, 50 y. 

January 8, 1754, 20 y. 

May 24, 1754, G6 y. 

August 15, 1757, 35 y. 

April 8, 1759, 54 y. 

September 10, 1759. 12 y. 

September 19,1759, 10 y. 



160 


APPENDIX. 






XAME. 


DATI OF DEATH. 


AGB. 




John Wilson, 


March 4, 1760, 


23 y. 




John Moody, 


October 26, 1766, 


52 y. 




Martha Hamill, 


August 21, 1784, 


40 y. 




Joseph Wilson, 


December 8, 1791, 


51 y. 




Andrew King, 


September 28,. 1800, 


36 y. 




Robert Hamill, 


August 3, 1803, 


84 y. 




Mrs. Jane Hamill, 


December 1, 1803, 


72 y. 




George Sloan, 


December 30, 1803, 


82 y. 




Jane Boggs, 


September 3, 1830, 


85 y. 




William Boggs, 


March 4, 1833, 


89 y. 




Rebecca Boggs, 


January 19, 1835, 


84 y. 




Elizabeth Boggs, 


March 3, 1835, 


87 y. 




James Hamill, 


June 24, 1836, 


27 y. 4 m. 


16 d. 


Israel Hamill, 


June 30, 1838, 


61 y. 6 m. 


28 d, 


Israel Hamill, 


June 24, 1840, 


25 y. 4 m. 


24 d. 


Mrs. Mary Hamill, 


June 21, 1861, 


85 y. 





K. 

LIST OF PERSONS BURIED IX UPPER OCTORARA 
GRAVEYARD, 

so FAR AS THE SAME CAN BE ASCERTAINED. 



NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Margaret Allison, 


September 21, 1748, 


48 y. 






James Allen, 


July 15, 1823, 


32 y. 


7 m. 


26 d. 


George Allen, 


January 15, 1828, 


6y. 


1 m. 


14 d. 


Mary Jane Armstrong, 


August 24, 1836, 


4y. 


6 m. 


21 d. 


Mary M. Armstrong, 


April 17, 1854, 


34 y. 






Sarah Armstrong, 


May 26, 1860, 


69 y. 


1 m. 


4d. 


John Armstrong,* 


July 11, 1864, 


30 y. 


5 m. 


16 d. 


Martin Armstrong, 


April 22, 1867, 


76 y. 







* John Armstrong died from wounds received in battle, during the 
War of the Rebellion. He was a member of the 21st Reg't Penna. Cav. 



APPENDIX. 



161 



NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 


AGE. 


William Armstrong, 


December 28, 1868, 


51 y. 


Samuel Armstrong, 


January, 3, 1870, 


72 y. 8 m. 


James Armstrong. 






Francis Armstrong. 






John Boyle, 


1739, 


22 y. 


Ann Boyle, 


October 7, 1742, 


46 y. 


Robert Boyd, 


April, 1743, 


65 y. 


Rachel Boyd, 


October 30, 1748, 


9 m. 


John Boyd, 


September 21, 1750, 


45 y. 


William Boyd, 


July 23, 1752, 


3y. 


Mary Boyd, 


December 10, 1753, 


45 y. 


William Boyd, 


January 19, 1762, 


55 y. 


Rev. Adam Boyd, 


November 23, 1768, 


76 y. 


Dorington Boyle, 


November 20, 1772, 


40 y. 


Margaret Boyd, 


May 18, 1777, 


31 y. 


Thomas Boyd, Esq., 


September 22, 1778, 


45 y. 


Matthew Boyd, 


May 17, 1782, 


45 y. 


Col. Andrew Boyd, 


March 23, 1786, 


46 y. 


Agnes Blealock, 


September 13, 1787, 


80 y. 


James Boyd, Sr., 


June 2, 1799, 


84 y. 


Catharine Boyd, 


January 21, 1802, 


65 y. 


Mary Boyd, 


January 24, 1806, 


78 y. 


William H. Boyd, 


July 12, 1808, 


32 y. 9 m. 22 d, 


C. Maria Boyd, 


January 15, 1809, 


7 J- 


Isabella Barber, 


February 20, 1809, 


21 y. 1 m. 22 d. 


John Boyd, 


February 11, 1810, 


23 y. 6 d, 


Samuel Boyd, 


April 18, 1814, 


33 y. 


Elizabeth Boyd, 


June 30, 1815, 


35 y. 


James Boyd, 


November 24, 1815, 


40 y. 


George Boyd, 


September 24, 1818, 


76 y. 


Samuel Bryan, 


October 6, 1821, 


60 y. 


Mary Boyd, 


March 26, 1825, 


72 y. 


Mary Boyd, 


April, 1825. 




Elizabeth Boyd, 


January 9, 1827, 


34 y. 


Michael Wallace Boyd, 


November 25, 1827, 


65 y. 16 d. 



162 


APPENDIX. • 








NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Jolm C. Bauford, 


September 22, 1839, 


ly- 




22 d. 


Hannah Boyd, 


February 23, 1840, 


75 y. 






Jane Boyd, 


January 1, 1843, 


75 y. 






Mary Boyd. 










James Boyd, 


January 23, 1843, 


84 y. 






Andrew Jackson Browne. 


, October 13, 1847, 


31 y. 


11 m. 


3d. 


Samuel C. Banford, 


June 29, 1849, 


8y- 


3 m. 


19 d. 


Abigail H. Boyd, 


August 31, 1849, 


60 y. 






George L. Blaukenbeler, 


December 28, 1850, 




4 m. 


10 d. 


Sarah Boyd, 


April 10, 1852, 


80 y. 






Thomas W. Boyd, 


April 13, 1852, 


55 y. 


8 m. 


13 d. 


James Buckley, 


August 19, 1852, 


7y. 


2 m. 


27 d. 


Robert Buckley, 


January 3, 1853, 


46 y. 






Ann G. Browne, 


April 8, 1853, 


80 y 






Andrew Browne, 


October 16, 1855, 


71 y- 


10 m. 


25 d 


Edwin Babb, 


May 30, 1857, 


22 y. 






Mary Ann Boggs, 


June 16, 1857, 


21 y- 






James fJuffington, 


September 20, 1857, 


59 y. 






Edwin F. Babb, 


November 12, 1860, 


3y. 


6 m. 




Charles R. Boyd, 


August 14, 1861, 


12 y. 


1 m. 


29 d. 


William C. Bryan, 


April 9, 1862, 


66 y. 






John C. Brown, 


January 10, 1864, 


40 y. 


2 m. 


8d. 


Anna C. Babb, 


April 4, 1864, 


ly- 


11 m. 


4d. 


Matthew Boyd, 


July 3, 1865, 


82 y. 






Sarah McDill Boyd, 


September 26, 1865, 


79 y. 


2 m. 


15 d. 


Benjamin Brook, 


September 3, 1865, 


5y- 


5 m. 




John Boyd, 


April 26, 1867, 


63 y. 


3 m. 


6d. 


Maggie Brook, 


June, 1869, 


ly- 


8 m. 


20 d. 


Oliver G. Blackburn, 


July 22, 1870, 


3y. 


1 m. 


4d. 


Ann Cowan, 


March 17, 1734, 


33 y. 






Susanna Cochran, 


February 13, 1739, 


67 y. 






Jane Cochran, 


February 13, 1739, 


67 y. 






John Cowan, 


March 15, 1748, 


21 y. 






Nathaniel Cochran, 


September, 1748, 


6y. 






James Cowan, 


October 1, 1751, 


27 y. 







APPENDIX. 



163 



Robert Cochran, 
Isabella Cocliran, 
Isabel Cochran, 
David Cochran, 
Ann Cloyd, 
Hannah Cochran, 
Jane Cochran, 
Catharine Clingan, 
William Clingan, Esq., 
Rebecca Cochran, 
Stephen Cochran, 
David Cochran, 
Margaret Cochran, 
James Cochran, 
Margaret Cochran, 
James Cochran, 
Elizabeth Cairns, 
James Cochran, 
Elizabeth Cowan, 
James Mitchel Cochran, 
Margaret Cunningham, 
Elinor Cunningham, 
Samuel Cairns, 
Margaret Cooper, 
Infant son of Margaret 

Cooper, 
Mary Ann Cooper, 
David Cochran, 
Susan Cochran, 
Martha Cochran, 
Samuel Cochran, 
James H. Cochi-an, 
Hannah Cowan, 
Susanna Cochran, 
David Cochran, 
Robert Cochran, 



BATE OF DEATH. 

October 20, 1759, 
May 12, 1760, 
February 20, 1762, 
June 19,1771, 

1773, 

August 1, 1779, 
October 26, 1783, 
February 8, 1785, 
May 9, 1790, 
June 5, 1790,. 
November 1, 1790, 
April 3, 1794, 
September 1, 1794, 
April 11, 1800, 
May 12, 1802, 
September 7, 1804, 
June 3, 1810, 
December 12, 1812, 
November 26, 1814, 
August 17, 1814, 
November 10, 1816, 
March 4, 1819, 
April 21, 1822, 
May 1, 1824, 

June 30, 1824, 
December 10, 1824, 
June 21, 1825, 
November 17, 1825, 
April 11, 1826, 
May 3, 1829, 
January 2, 1830, 
March 9, 1831, 
November 21, 1833, 
August 14, 1835, 
November 1, 1835, 



33 y. 6 m. 

60 y. 4 m. 8 d. 

1 y. 1 m. 21 d. 
01 y. 
29 y. 

2y. 5 m. 18d. 
42 y. 8 m. 20 d. 
Advanced age. 
Advanced age. 
29 y. 4 m. 19 d. 
57 y. 11 m. 14 d. 

6 y. 7 d. 

1 y. 11 m. 26 d. 

85 y. 
37 y. 

48 y. 2 m. 3d. 

74 y. 

28 y. 

24 y. 7 m. 12 d. 

3 y. 8 m. 
84 y. 
48 y. 
27 y. 6 m. 

2 m. 16 d. 

2 y. 8 m. 10 d. 
73 y. 2 m. 9 d. 
64 y. 

75 y. 

66 y. 3 m. 17 d. 
33 y. 

29 y. 10 m. 4 d. 
44 y. 2 m. 10 d. 
35 y. 4 m. 19 d. 

86 y. 



164 



APPENDIX. 



DATE OF DEATH. 



John Cvinniugliam, 
Eliza Ann Cairns, 
Jane Cochran, 
Amos Cowan, 
Mary Ann Cowan, 
Mary Ellen Crawford, 
Alpheus Cooper, 
Hannah Cochran, 
James Cowan, 
William Cowan, 
Mary Cowan, 
Henry Cosgrave, 
Margaret A. Cunningham, 
Greo. Fleming Cowan, 
Wendel Creamer, 
John Chapman, 

Cook, 

Willie F. Clark, 
James F. Cowan, 
John Cochran, 

Martha Dickey, 

Wm. G-. Daniel, 

John Daniel, 

Joshua Davis, 

Rachel Darlington, 

Eliza Dean, 

Anna Mary Dorland, 

Edw. F. Gray Darlington, 

James L. Dorland, 

Jacob Dean, 

John P. Daniel, 

Maggie Bell Daniel, 

Robert Dorland * 



December 11, 1835, 
February 4, 1837, 
March 9, 1838, 
August 9, 1842, 
September 19, 1842, 
July 25, 1844, 
February 21, 1845, 
August 16, 1847, 
November 18, 1850, 
September 8, 1853, 
March 11, 1855, 
April 27, 1855, 
June 24, 1864, 
January 19, 1865, 
December, 1865, 
July 26, 1867, 
April, 1869, 
March 24, 1869, 
September 30, 1869, 



1762 



AQE. 

91 y. 3 m. 
28 y. 
76 y. 

6 y. 3d. 

17 y. 10 m. 8 d. 

ly. 24 d. 

56 y. 1 m. 21 d. 
84 y. 

83 y. 6 d. 

60 y. 2 m. 4 d. 
80 y. 9 m. 
59 y. 

51 y. 11 m. 4d. 
39 y. 10 m. 16 d. 



56 y. 

^ly- 



48 y. 

September 26, 1826, 2 y. 
September 27, 1826, 28 y. 
May, 1831. 
March 13, 1848, 
December 30, 1850, 
July 25, 1851, 
September 30, 1852, 
November 7, 1852, 
May 9, 1854, ' 
October 22, 1856, 
October 28, 1856, 
November 2, 1861, 20 y. 



8 m. 7 d. 
2 m. 23 d. 



5 m. 



30 y. 


1 m. 


4d, 


54 y. 






5y- 








6 m. 


15 d. 


2y. 


9 m. 




73 y. 






30 y. 


2 m. 





9 m. 8 d. 



* Robert Dorland was a member of Company B, OTth Regiment Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers, in the War of the Rebellion, and died from disease 
contracted in the service. 





APPENDIX. 








165 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Sarali Drake, 


September 5, 1862, 


41 y. 


10 


m. 


25 d, 


John P. Dorland, 


December 21, 18G5, 


60 y. 








Wm. Kennedy Davis, 


April 9, 1866, 


64 y. 


11 


m. 


lid, 


Howard Darlington, 


December 7, 1867, 


6y. 








Malinda M. Darlington, 


May 22, 1870, 


51 y. 








Mary Ann Davis, 


no date, 


18 y. 


4 


m. 


25 d. 


Elizabeth Jane Davis, 


no date, 


12 y. 






2d. 


Rachel Reed Davis, 




ly- 


9 


m. 


17 d. 


John Darlington. 


September, 1870, 


20 y. 








Infant son of Wm. K. and Jane Davis. 










Margaret Fleming, 


August 9, 1754, 


48 y. 








Margaret Flem'ing, 


June 6, 1767, 


28 y. 


9 


m. 


18 d. 


James Fleming, 


May 3, 1767, 


64 y. 








Henry Fleming, 


June 12, 1776, 


31 y. 








Rev. William Foster, 


September 30, 1780, 


41 y. 








David Fleming, 


April 5, 1784, 


73 y. 








Margaret (McPhersou) 












Futhey, 


September 25, 1784, 


27 y. 








William Fulton, 


March 2, 1785, 


56 y. 








Susanna Fulton, 


1792, 


60 y. 








Mary Fleming, 


April 5, 1797, 


40 y. 








Joseph Fleming, 


April 28, 1799, 


61 y. 


2 


m. 




Ann Fleming, 


February 10, 1810, 


44 y. 


4 


m. 




Joseph Filson, 


December 24, 1811, 


57 y. 








Lilley Filson, 


November 3, 1812, 


51 y. 








Amos Fleming, 


July 22, 1812, 










John Fleming, St., 


September 2, 1814, 


83 y. 








David Fleming, 


February 14, 1815, 


45 y. 








Joseph Fleming, 


September 12, 1816, 


41 y. 


8 


m. 


4d. 


Abigail Fleming, 


December 8, 1816, 


17 y. 








Abigail Fleming, 


October 2, 1818, 


77 y. 








Elizabeth Fleming, 


March 29, 1819, 


55 y. 








Rebecca Fleming, 


October 16, 1821, 


82 y. 








Mary Fulton, 


September 1, 1824, 


34 y. 


9 


m. 


lid. 


Julian Filson, 


1826. 











1G6 


APPENDIX. 








NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AOE. 




Martha Futhey, 


August 16, 1827, 


73 y. 


5 m. 


8d. 


Martha Elizabeth Futhey, 


May, 1828, 




3 m. 




John Flemiug, of E. Cain, 


June 16, 1830, 


69 y. 


1 m. 


9d. 


Margaret Fleming, 


March, 1830. 








John Fleming, Jr., 


December, 1832. 








Sarah Jane Fulton, 


July 11, 1833, 


ly- 


3 m. 




John Smith Futhey, 


October 7, 1836, 


Inflmcy. 




Lucinda A. Fleming, 


August 9, 1841, 


24 y. 


8 m. 


15 d. 


Martha Ann Fulton, 


May 6, 1843, 


7y. 


4 m. 




Margaret E. Fulton, 


May 11, 1843, 


3y. 


5 m. 




Benjamin A. Fulton, 


May 17, 1843, 


5y- 


5 m. 




Sarah Futhey, 


November 29, 1844, 


52 y. 


8 m. 


19 d. 


John W. Filson, 


1847. 


* 






Samuel S. Finney, 


August 8, 1848, 


33 y. 


11 m. 


18 d. 


David A. Fleming, 


December 9, 1850, 


38 y. 


10 m. 


29 d. 


Joseph Filson, 


September 17, 1851, 


83 y. 


6 m. 


17 d. 


Susanna M. Filson, 


1850. 








Elizabeth Fulton, 


August 18, 1853, 


2y. 


7 m. 




Tabitha Fleming, 


October 27, 1855, 


8y- 




3d. 


Samuel Futhey, 


March 29, 1855, 


61 y. 


Im. 


24 d. 


Samuel Finney, 


March 27, 1856, 


76 y. 


7 m. 


7d. 


Mary Filson, 


April 30, 1858, 


44 y. 






Ella Finney, 


September 1, 1858, 




6 m. 




Margaret Futhey, 


April 11, 1864, 


72 y. 


8 m. 




Preston M. Fleming, 


March 8, 1864, 


50 y. 






Mary Lizzie Fielis, 


February 6, 1865, 


ly- 


2 m. 


9d. 


Catharine N. Finney, 


September 13, 1865, 


27 y. 


9 m. 


9d. 


John Andrew Fielis, 


July 15, 1866, 


4y. 


8 m. 


27 d. 


Francis A. Finney, 


February, 6, 1867, 


28 y. 


3 m. 


4d. 


M. Eliza Futhey, 


August 22, 1867, 


27 y. 


3 m. 


28 d. 


Susanna Frederick, 


September 3, 1867, 


19 y. 


7 m. 


Id. 


Franklin Filson, 


April 11, 1868, 


53 y. 






Kobert Futhey, 


July 29, 1870. 


81 y. 


6 m. 


8d. 


\ James Griendenning, 


April 10, 1799, 


81 y. 


3 m. 




Isabel Griendenning, 


March 4, 1810, 


92 y. 









APPENDIX. 






157 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Adam Grlendeuniug, 


June 8, 1812, 


66 y. 




25d. 


Joseph Glendenning, 


November 27, 1812, 


, 






David Gilfillau, 


January, 1819. 








Lydia Gilfillan, 


1820. 








Archibald Gilfillan, 


1821. 








Jaue Gibson, 


May 30, 1830, 


28 y. 






George Goudy, 


October 30, 1834, 


65 y. 






Samuel Gibson, 


March 22, 1835, 


77 y. 






Matilda M. Griffith, 


April 5, 1838, 


32 y. 






Elizabeth Gibson, 


September 8, 1838, 


29 y. 






Joseph Gayley, 


February 18, 1843, 


24 y. 






Margaret Gayley, 


September 29, 1843, 


28 y. 






Elizabeth Gibson, 


February 28, 1847, 


67 y. 






Willie Green, 


January 25, 1857, 


ly- 


11 m. 


26 d. 


James Garret, "^ 


January 9, 1859, 


40 y. 






Emmor E. J. Gibson, 


June 3, 1860, 


5y. 


9 m. 


16 d. 


Frances J. Gibson, 


June 6, 1860, 


2y. 


9 m. 


7d. 


John A. Gibson, 


June 9, 1860, 


8y- 


6 m. 


23 d. 


Josiah D. Guthrie, 


August 24, 1864, 


26 y. 


4 m. 


19 d. 


luflmt son of James an 


d Martha Gormley. 








John Henderson, 


August 29, 1745, 


41 y. 






Thomas Heslep, ' 


July 29, 1764, 


83 y. 






Mary Heslep, 


August 21, 1767, 


83 y. 






Jennet Hope, 


December 9, 1771, 


70 y. 






Thomas Hope, 


October 24, 1770, 


75 y. 






Jane Heslep, 


April 20, 1801, 


18 y. 






William Hutten, 


November 29, 1802, 


6y. 






Robert Heslep, 


December 29, 1806, 


27 y. 






John Ferguson Hamill, 


(at sea,) 1807, 


26 y. 






John Parker Ham, 


July 10, 1813, 




4 m. 


8d, 


Elizabeth Hamill, 


September 14, 1813, 


52 y. 






Richard Hope, 


February 12, 1815, 


42 y. 


8 m. 




John Henderson, 


August 29, 1815, 


41 y. 






Mary Hershberger, 


August 12, 1822, 


71 y. 


5 m. 


12 d 


Thomas Hope, 


August 15, 1825, 


60 y. 


7 m. 


3d, 



168 



APPENDIX. 



NAME. 

Margaret Hershberger, 
Jane Hershberger, 
David Hindman, 
Martha Hindman, 
Jane Hamill, 
Edwin Hershberger, 
Francis Hoffman, 
Joseph Hudders, 
Samuel Hershberger, 
Sarah Hope, 
William Hope, M.D., 
Mary Hope, 
Anna M. Hope, 
Joseph F. Hoffman, 
Catharine Hudders, 
Sarah Hudders, 
Sarah Hope, 
David Hope, 
Cecelia Ann Hamill, 
James C. Hershberger, 
Ambrose W. Hudders, 
Mary Louisa Hamill, 
Hannah Jane Hamill, 
Edwin L. Hamill, 
Edwin Jefferies Hippie, 
Pamela Hershberger, 
Thomas Hope, 
Mary Hope, 
Mary Hallowell, 
John Hershberger, 
Thomas H. Hope, 
Sarah J. Hope, 
Elizabeth Hodgson, 
Anuabell Hunter, 
Buchanan Hoffman, 
Ann Eliza Hershberger, 



DATE OF DEATH. 



June 10, 1825, 
September 8, 1828, 
July 3, 1830. 
July 19, 1830, 
March 19. 1831, 
January 15, 1834, 
May 2, 1835, 
October 8, 1837, 
October 20, 1838, 
October 31, 1838, 
February 4, 1839, 
May G, 1841, 
December 29, 1842, 
July 8, 1842, 
October 15, 1842, 
October 21, 1842, 
July 31, 1843, 
November 19, 1843, 
May 7, 1843, 
September 21, 1843, 
August 4, 1844, 
September 10, 1844, 
February 18, 1845, 
July 10, 1847, 
September 6, 1848, 
September 22, 1849, 
November 26, 1849, 
March 30, 1850, 
December 28, 1850, 
May 28, 1853, 
May 28, 1853, 
March 29, 1854, 
July 19, 1855, 
August 1, 1857, 
April 17, 1858, 
September 4, 1858, 



AGE. 

52 y. 1 d. 

23 y. 11 m. 12 d. 



52 y. 
39 y. 

76 y. 

ly- 

73 y. 
38 y. 
29 y. 
19 y. 
29 y. 

9y- 
2y- 
3y- 

36 y. 
15 y. 

ly- 

15 y. 

ly- 
2y- 



44 y. 
16 y. 

83 y. 
63 y. 

84 y. 
57 y. 
22 y. 
59 y. 

ly- 

ly- 

28 y. 



4 m. 
9 m. 

6 m. 
9 m. 
8 m. 
6 m. 



9 m. 
5 m. 
1 m. 

10 m. 
10 m. 

9 m. 
10 m. 

1 m. 



11 m. 

4 m. 

5 m. 



5 m. 
10 m. 



lid. 
2d. 



20 d. 



26 d. 
23 d. 



28 d. 

20 d. 
20 d. 
24 d. 



lid. 
14 d. 
16 d. 
14 d. 



lid. 
lid. 



6d. 
17 d. 
14 d. 





APPENDIX. 






169 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Matthew S. Ilamill, 


August 25, 1860, 


48 y. 






Mrs. Jane E. Hamill, 


March 19, 1861, 


37 y. 




14 d. 


Mary Ellen Hamill, 


October 31, 1861, 


5y. 


7 m. 


2d. 


Martha li. Ilershberger, November 6, 1861, 


66 y. 


11 m. 


12 d. 


Matthew S. Hamill, 


December 11, 1861, 


ly- 


4 m. 


Id. 


Joseph Hope, 


July 12, 1863, 


57 y. 


9 m. 


12 d, 


Samuel Hoffman, 


April 22, 1864, 


54 y. 






Ann Hoffman, 


September 18, 1864, 


52 y. 


11 m. 


8d. 


James Hamilton, 


, December 12, 1866, 


51 y. 






Rich'd Franklin Hamilton, 1867, 


ly- 






Sarah Jane Hawks, 


January, 1868, 


2y- 






Kate E. Hoover, 


March 15, 1870, 


28 y. 






Rich'd Franklin Hamilton, 1870, 


3y. 






James Hamill, 


no date. 


7y- 






Nancy Hamill, 


no date, 


7y- 






Two infant daughters 


of 








George and Catharine 








Hoffman, 


no date. 








Dorington B. Irwin, 


April, 12, 1801, 


9y- 


8 m. 




Mary Eliza Irwin, 


October 11, 1842, 


5y. 


3 m. 


23 d. 


Alexander M. Irwin, 


September 23, 1845, 




9 m. 


6d, 


William T. Irwin, 


November 30, 1851, 


5y. 


7 m. 




Louisa S. Irwin, 


March 13, 1852, 




10 m. 


15 d. 


John A. Irwin, 


March 27, 1854, 


ly- 


2 m. 


9d. 


William Irwin, 


July 31, 1856, 




3 m. 


5d. 


Mary A. Irwin, 


August 9, 1857, 


18 y. 






George Irwin, 


February 21, 1859, 


51 y. 


10 m. 


2d. 


William Irwin, 


January 18, 1860, 


48 y. 


2 m. 


23 d. 


James M. Irwin,* 


December 3, 1864, 


24 y. 






Mary Irwin, 


March 24, 1865, 


52 y. 


10 m. 


27 d. 


Robert Irwin, 


December 5, 1865, 


24 y. 


9 m. 


5d. 


George T. Irwin, 


j^ugust 16, 1867, 


2y- 




5d. 


* James M. Irwin was 


a corporal in Company E, 


201st 


Reg't Penna, 


Volunteers, in the War 


of the Rebellion, and was 


killed 


by the 


acci- 



dental discharge of a musket in the hands of a comrade. 

12 



170 



APPENDIX. 



NAME. 

Edith F. Ii-^vin, 
William R.. Irwin, 
Edith May Irwin, 

Andrew Mitchell Jord;m, 
Sarah Jordan, 
Prances Ann Jordan, 
Elizabeth Jordan, 
Sarah Jordan, 
Hugh Jordan. Jr., 
Jane Jack, 
Hugh Jordan, 
John R. B. Jaquette, 
Sarah Johnson, 
Samuel J. Johnston, 
Eliza Jane Jaquette, 
Morris D. Jaquette, 
John Andrew Jones, 
Samuel Johnson, 

Jakemau, 

Jakeman, 

Sallie E. Jones, 

Charles Kinkead, 
William Kennedy, 
Martha Kennedy, 
Abraham Kendig. 
John Kendig, 
Hannah Kinkead, 
Ann Kerns, 
John Kenworthy, 
Hannah Kenworthy, 
Jane Kinkead, 
John P. Kendig, 
Jane Kendig, 
Mary Kendig, 



DATE OF DEATH. 



August 11, 1868, 
October 17, 1868, 
March 13, 1870, 

March 11, 1813, 

January 27, 1814, 
October 22, 1815, 
August 15, 1816, 
May 19, 1818, 
May 12, 1820, 
August 5, 1821, 
April 14, 1828, 
September 5, 1846, 
July 4, 1852, 
August 30, 1856, 
June 11, 1859, 
no date, 

November 22, 1862, 
December 24, 1867, 
September, 1866, 
July, 1868, 
November 29, 1868, 

December 29, 1782, 

1821, 

1825, 

October 22, 1834, 
December 25, 1834, 

1835. 

November 19, 1843, 
July 9, 1847, 
December 11, 1847, 
June 12, 1^49, 
August 7, 1851, 
April 3, 1866, 
no date. 



1 y. 5 m. 17 d, 

31 y. 9 m. 5 d. 

1 y. 1 m. 21 d. 



7 m. 10 d- 
2 m. 28 d. 

8 m. 19 d. 



29 y. 
56 y. 

28 y. 

32 y. 

20 y. 4 m. Id 

50 y. 

75 y. 

17 y. 

68 y. 

ly- 

54 y. 

ly- 
^y- 

30 y. 
infant 
infant 



2 m. 17 d. 
6 m. 20 d. 

8 m. 

3 m. 28 d. 



3 m. 



22 y. 



45 y. 
79 y. 

83 y. 
48 y. 

46 y. 



62 y. 5 m. 3d. 
61 y. 11 m. 
70 y. 

11 y. 8 m. 23 d. 
43 y. • 





APPENDIX. 






171 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Alexander Luckey, 


April, 27, 1747, 


30 y, 






James Lockhart, 


May 21,1748, 


34 y. 






George Liggitt, 


June 27, 1760, 


50 y. 






Rev. Francis A. Latta, 


April 23, 1834, 


67 y. 11 m. 


26 d. 


Hamilton Lockliart, 


April, 1835. • 








Mary Latta, 


August 2, 1837, 


65 y. 


6 m. 


26 d. 


Elizabeth Latta, 


November 10, 1840, 


58 y. 


9 m. 


26 d. 


Jane Latta, 


June 20, 1841, 


48 y. 


7 m. 


22 d. 


Margaret R. H. Latta, 


April G, 1846, 


21 y. 


2 m. 


22 d. 


Margaret A. Latta, 


July 23, 1848, 


71 y. 


11 m. 


25 d. 


Alexander Laverty, 


December 26, 1848, 


69 y. 






Isabella Lockliart, 


1849. 








John Linn, 


November 1, 1849, 


25 y. 


10 m. 


21 d. 


James M. Latta, 


December 25, 1851, 


45 y. 


4 m. 


6d. 


Clement Levis, 


July 9, 1853, 


59 y. 


6 m. 


5d. 


Margaret W. Linn, 


November 28, 1857, 


ly- 


6 m. 


25 d. 


Rev. James Latta, 


May 30, 1862, 


75 y. 


1 m. 


6d. 


Lydia Lincoln, 


March 15, 1863, 


21 y. 


5 m. 




Mary Linn, 


January 18, 1869, 


73 y. 


11 m. 


18 d. 


Emma Lena Linn, 


September 3, 1869, 


2y. 


6 m. 


16 d. 


Archibald McNeil, 


December 24, 1742, 


43 y. 






John McPherson, 


December 9, 1762, 


67 y. 






Margaret McAlister, 


November 16, 1768, 


67 y. 






Jane McPherson, 


1771. 








Robert McPherson, 


1777. 








Andrew Mitchel, 


December 9, 1782, 


54 y. 






Jane Mitchel, 


February 27, 1797, 


23 y. 


5 m 


. 20 d. 


Alexander McPherson, 


1797. 








Mary McPherson, 


1797. 








Frances Mitchel, 


August 14, 1801, 


64 y. 






Jane Mitchel, 


June 28, 1805, 


71 y. 


-3m 


. 12 d, 


Joseph L. McCleHan 


jU^uly 14, 1805. 
» December 9, 1807, 


•' 


7 m 




Samuel McClellan, 


75 y. 


10 m 




Mary McKim, 


December 21, 1807, 


. 26 y. 


7 m 




Rev. Alexander Mitchel 


:, December 6, 1812, 


81 y. 







172 



APPENDIX. 



NAME. 

Wiliam Minaes, 
Mary MulhoUen, 
Jolin McClellan, 
Thomas Maitland, 
Jane McClellan, 
G-eorge Mitchel, 
James Mitchell, son of 
Robert Moore, 
John Mitchel, 
James McKown, 
Margaret Moore, 
x\nu McElwain, 
John Mitchel, 
Robert McClellan, 
Permela McPheT.son, 
Deborah McClellan, 
Mary A. McClellan, 
Henry McClellan, 
Josiah I. McKlm, 
John McPherson, 
Nancy McPherson, 
Thomas F. McClellan, 
William McNeil, 
John M. McClellan, 
Henry McConaughy, 
Richard McClure, 
John C. McCoy, 
William F. Mitchell, M. 
Elizabeth McClellan, 
Elizabeth Mackey, 
Ann McKim, 
Hannah McClellan, 
Sarah Ann Miller, 
Joseph McClellan, 
Thomas McClellan, 
Elizabeth McKim, 



DATE OF DEATH. 



March 31, 1813, 80 y. 

May 1, 1813, 45 y. 

November 5, 1813, 47 y. 

in War of 1812, ' 86 y. 

November 19, 1813, 66 y. 4 m. 11 d. 

June 16, 1814, 54 y. 
Andrew Mitchell. 

April 5, 1815, 40 y. 

August 16, 1815, 53 y. 

November, 1815. 

June 5, 1816, 2 y. 

April 30, 1817, 95 y. 

July 26, 1818, 19 y. 

November 6, 1818, 56 y. 

1819, 16 y. 

May 16, 1820, 20 y. 

April 6, 1820, 23 y. 

September 6, 1821, 72 y. 

August 18, 1822, 14 y. 

June 22, 1822, 60 y. 

1822, 12 y. 

April 22, 1822, 1 y. 

• 1823, 65 y. 

January 15, 1824. 

October 1, 1824, 10 y. 

May 30, 1824, 56 y. 5 m. 28 d. 

April 25, 1826., 50 y. 

D., September 6, 1826, 47 y. 2 m. 11 d. 

December 13, 1829, 49 y. 

April 21, 1831, 78 y. 

November 28, 1832, 65 y. 

August 1,1833, 68 y. 

December 12, 1833, 3 y. 23 d. 

October 14, 1834, 87 y. 5 m. 16 d. 

December 18, 1834, 61 y. 

February 3, 1835, 44 y. 4 m. 



21 d. 

5 m. 26 d. 

6 m. 18 d. 



1 m. 13 d. 

2 m. 17 d. 

9 m. 4 d. 





APPENDIX. 








17^ 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Alexander McPherson, 


March, 1836, 


61 y. 








Rebecca IMcPhersou, 


1836, 


58 y. 








Uree McPherson, 


1836, 


14 y. 








Frances McDonald, 


June 12, 1839, 


37 y. 








Jane McBride, 


June, 1839. 










Jane Mackey, 


September 12, 1839, 


89 y. 








Mary McClella^, 


March 4, 1841, 


75 y. 








Eleanor McPherson, 


April 10, 1841, 


79 y. 








Thomas McKim, 


May 10, 1841, 


44 y. 








Rebecca Martin, 


October 30, 1841, 


76 y. 








Ann McCIellan, 


February 7, 1842, 


96 y. 








Janet McCaughey, 


March 16, 1842, 


68 y. 








Joseph S. Myers, 


September 25, 1842, 


infant 






25 d. 


Kezia McCIellan, 


July 21, 1842, 


75 y. 


6 


m. 




Duncan MacGregor, 


August 11, 1843, 


78 y. 








Catharine McCorkle, 


June 15, 1843, 


74 y. 








Martha B. Murphey, 


January 13, 1844, 


48 y. 


11 


m. 




Mary Ann Maun, 


May 8, 1844, 


50 y. 


2 


m. 


27 d. 


Mary McConaughy, 


May 15, 1845, 


63 y. 








Uree H. McPherson, 


March '31, 1843, 


2y- 


2 


m. 




.Tohn McKiuney, 


July 24, 1845, 




3 


m. 


12 d. 


Samuel Miller, 


December 14, 1845, 


82 y. 








Mary McNaught, 


February 17, 1846, 


16 y. 


4 


m. 


23 d. 


Thomas L. McCIellan, 


November 3, 1846, 


2y. 


1 


m. 


12 d. 


Nathaniel McCaughey, 


May 11, 1847, 


81 y. 








Elizabeth McNaught, 


November 9, 1847, 


22 y. 


3 


m. 


Id. 


Capt. William McKim, 


December 20, 1847, 


81 y. 








Sarah McClure, 


January 25, 1848, 


74 y. 








Elizabeth McAlister, 


1849, 


'^7y. 








Joseph McDonald, 


May 9, 1849, 


44 y. 








Mary McKinney, 


March 15, 1849, 


41 y. 








Russell McKim, 


October, 1849, 










David A. McCIellan, 


February 20, 1850, 


3y. 


8 


m. 


18 d. 


Alonzo P. Middleton, 


July 30, 1851, 


2y. 


3 


m. 




James Middleton, 


July 19, 1851, 


66 y. 








Phebe Marony, 


August 15, 1851, 


27 y. 






15 d. 



174 



APPENDIX. 



DATE OF DEATH. 



D. Thompson Murpliey, 
Joseph P. McClellan, 
K. H. McFarlan, 
Hannah Maria McMewes, 
Elizabeth McKim, 
Samuel Miller, 
Samuel W. McClellan, 
Mary E. McClellan, 
John D. McClellan, 
William McNeil, ' 



September 18, 1851, 
February 26, 1851, 
June 6, 1851, ' 

1852, 

January 25, 1852, 
January 6, 1852, 
July 19, 1852, 
May 24, 1853, 
September 2, 1853, 
1853, 



Jas. McNaught Mennick, April 13, 1853, 



August 31, 1853, 
September 6, 1854, 
March 7, 1855, 
November 13, 1855, 
April 26, 1856, 
April 29, 1856, 



Margaret McNaught, 

Mary E. McClellap, 

Richard H. Maitland, 

Catharine McFarlan, 

Esther McNaught, 

Alice McClellan, 

Samiiel Parke McClellan, May 21, 1856, 

Sam.WithrowMcPhei-son, April 18, 1856, 

Uree McPherson, March 3, 1856,. 

William McConaughey, April 13, 1858, 

James McConaughy, September 27, 1858 

James Marion McFarlan, October 30, 1858, 

Jane Brownlee McCoy, February 28, 1860, 

Reuben Miller, March 7, 1860, 

Joseph E. N. McClellan, August 4, 1860, 



3y. 

56 y. 

17 y. 

18 y. 

3y. 

23 y. 

54 y. 
31 y. 

50 y. 
95 y. 

2y- 

61 y. 
59 y. 
45 y. 
53 y. 

28 y. 
75 y. 
64 y. 

3y. 

6y- 

51 y. 
81 y. 
30 y. 
73 y. 
64 y. 



3 m. 

1 m. 28 d. 

2 m. 11 d. 
7 m. 25 d. 



5 m, 



8d. 
19-d. 



8 m. 13 d. 

11 m. 23 d. 

2 m. 18 d. 
6 m. 

6 m. 3 d. 

7 m. 11 d. 

8 m. 4 d. 



m. 11 d. 



William McAlistfer, 
Eliza Fleming Mitchel, 
-John Mellon, 
Jemima McNeil, 
J. Rambo McKim, 
William McAlister,* 
Alexander McNaught, 
Maria McClellan, 



September 14, 1860, 65 y. 

December 22, 1860, 67 y. 

November 22, 1861, 33 y. 

January 2, 1861, 77 y. 

March 7, 1862, 11 y. 

March 7, 1863, 35 y. 

October 9, 1863, 31 y. 

March 20, 1864, 65 y. 



Z m. 

8 m. 23 d. 
4 y. 10 m. 24 d. 
6 m. 29 d. 
8 m. 10 d. 



7 m. 

4d. 
9 m. 28 d. 



* William McAlister was a member of Co. K, 5th Regiment U. S. 
Artillery, and died at home from disease contracted in the army. 





APPENDIX. 






L7o 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




SallieMiddleton, 


January 3, 1864, 


Hy. 






Margaret MacGregor, 


March 14, 1864, 


80 y. 






Frances B. McClelhm, 


May 21, 1864, 


63 y. 


3 m. 




Lydia Miller, 


October 29, 1865, 


58 y. 


7 m. 




Dr. Jos. Gillies McNaught, August 22, 1866, 


25 y. 


9 m. 


9d. 


Sarah McPhersou, 


March 20, 1866, 


62 y. 


4 m. 




Nancy McNauglit, 


August, 1866, 


67 y. 






John Miller, Esq., 


March 16, 1868, 


72 y. 






Margaret McClellaii, 


February 4, 1868, 


71 y. 






Kate McAlisterT 


September 5, 1868, 


30 y. 


2 m. 


10 d. 


Joseph B. McMichael, 


August 22, 1869, 


16 y. 


10 m. 




David McFiirlau, 


November 19, 1869, 


76 y. 


5 m. 


23 d. 


Amos M. Miller, 


June 26, 1870, 


72 y. 


8 m. 


24 d. 


Robert Henry MePherson 


, September 7, 1870, 




4 m. 


2d. 


E. McAlister, 


no date. 








James Mitchell, 


no date. 








Eliza McAlonan, 


January 5, 1871, 


63 y. 






James C. Noble, 


December 1, 1813, 




10 m. 


18 d. 


Christiana Noble, 


January 18. 1814, 


3y. 


7 m. 


21 d. 


Mary Ann Noble, 


May 9,' 1825, 


2y. 


2 m. 


25 d. 


Nancy Agnes Noble, 


June 14, 1826, 






23 d. 


Mary Nyce, 


June 14, 1836, 


58 y. 


7 m. 




William Noble, 


February 25, 1850, 


70 y. 


6 m. 


8d. 


Susan Noble, 


January 6, 1844, 


62 J. 


8 m. 


10 d. 


John W. Osmond, 


August 30, 1853, 


31 y. 


3 m. 


9d. 


3Iartha C. Osmond, 


September 23, 1865, 


40 y. 






Arthur Park, 


February, 1740, , 


\ earliest of 


the 


Mary Park, his wife, 


no date, j 


i name. 




John Park, 


July 28, 1787, 


Sly. 






Elizabeth Park, 


May 21, 1794, 


82 y. 






Rachel Parke, 


July 11, 1803, 


24 y. 


7 m. 


15 d. 


Letitia Park, 


November 13, 1806, 


2y. 


1 m. 


13 d. 


Jannet Park, 


April 4, 1814, 


77 y. 


10 m. 





176 



APPENDIX. 



NAME. 

Mary F. Parke, 

Jane Parke, Jr., 

Margaret Parke, 

Ann Park, 

Ann Parke, 

Ann Jane Park, 

Arthur Park, 

James Potts, 

Joseph Parke, Esq., 

John Park, 

Thomas Parke. 

John Franklin Parke, 

John Powell, 

Jane Parke, 

Sarah Potts, 

John G. Parke, 

Mary J. Philips, 

Mary E. Philips, 

Wiufield S. Parke, 

Mary Jane Parke, 

Joseph Gr. Parke, 

David Parke, 

Tabitha Parke, 

James M. Parke, 

Mary B. Parke, 

Margaret Elvina Pine, 

Samuel M. Parke, 

John Parke, 

"Little Jennie" Parke, 

Agnes Sutherland Paxson, 

Eliza Potts, 

Edmund J. Porter, 

Arthur Parke, 

Samuel Parke, 

George W. Parke, 

Annie E. Parke, 



DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




February 17, 1817, 


17 y. 


8 m. 


6d. 


January 23, 1818, 


34 y. 


10 m. 


5d. 


May 13, 1819, 


27 y. 






June 3, 1820, 


71 y. 






October 3, 1821, 


67 y. 






October 10, 1821, 


ly- 


3 m. 


12 d. 


July 11, 1822, 


85 y. 


9 m. 


29 d. 


July 28, 1822, 


71 y. 






July 2, 1823, 


85 y. 


6 m. 


lid. 


November 15, 1823, 


84 y. 






August 27, 1824, 


62 y. 






August 8, 1825, 


ly- 


3 m. 


12 d. 


November 8, 1826, 


55 y. 


7 m. 




October 14, 1832, 


62 y. 






August, 1833, 


74 y. 


9 m. 




October 25, 1837, 


75 y. 


11 m. 


4d. 


October 6, 1839, 


19 y. 


5 m. 


13 d. 


November 24, 1839, 




3 m. 


2d. 


May 10, 1843, 


21 y. 


6 m. 


29 d. 


September 3, 1843, 




8 m. 


26 d. 


May 25, 1844, 


48 y. 


1 m. 


24 d. 


June 26, 1846, 


61 y. 


4 m. 


3d. 


June 5, 1847, 


73 y. 






September 16, 1848, 


32 y. 






March 26, 1849, 


87 y. 






August 4, 1851, 


26 y. 


6 m. 


29 d. 


December 1, 1854, 


ly- 


2 m. 


26 d. 


April 26, 1855, 


53 y. 


1 m. 


17 d. 


February 28, 1856, 






18 d. 


November 16, 1856, 




3 m. 


20 d. 


December 16, 1856, 


69 y. 


2 m. 


25 d. 


October 25, 1857, 


2y- 


2 m. 


26 d, 


October 31, 1858, 


73 y. 


5 m. 


10 d. 


April 28, 1859, 


63 y. 


11 m. 


22 d. 


February 25, 1860, 


79 y. 


4 m. 


7d. 


April 6, 1862, 


28 y. 


8 m. 


27 d 





APPENDIX. 






177 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Col. James Parke, 


May 15, 1862, 


85 y. 


7 m. 


16 d, 


Mary R. Parke, 


June 21, 1863, 


82 y. 


8 m. 


14 d. 


Rachel Parke, 


July 11, 1863, 


24 y. 


7 m. 




Hannah L. Parke, 


September 19, 1864, 


16 y. 




2d. 


James Powers, 


October 11, 1866, 


28 y. 


9 m. 




John Pomeroy Phillips, 


July 7, 1867, 




9 m. 


6d, 


Thomas Pyle, 


May 1, 1868, 


55 y. 






Mary R. Parke, 


August 11, 1868, 


75 y. 


5 m. 


10 d. 


William Parke, 


April 12, 1869, 


77 y. 


6 m. 


3d. 


Jennie Paxson, 


April 16, 1870, 


30 y. 


5 m. 


23 d. 


Infant son of J. and S. 










Paxson, 


no date. 








Nathaniel Ring, 


December 10, 1766, 


66 y. 






Nathaniel Ring, Jr., 


March 26, 1766, 


20 y. 






James Richmond, 


September 19, 1801, 


22 y. 


9 m. 




George Richmond, 


June 28, 1806, 


72 y. 






Samuel Reid, 


August 1, 1811, 


ly- 


6 m. 




Mary Reid, 


November 7, 1811, 




4 m. 


20 d. 


Twin infant sons of Thos 










and Ann Robinson, 


Dec. 28 and 29, 1813. 






Thomas Robinson, 


October 10, 1814, 


34 y. 




4d. 


Ann Robinson, 


February 11, 1817, 


34 y. 


6 m. 


7d. 


Isabella Ruth, 


May 27, 1812, 


26 y. 






Isabella Russell, 


October 2, 1813, 


73 y. 






Elizabeth Russell, 


March 11, 1814, 


7iy. 






John Reid, 


August 22, 1819, 


ly- 


4 m. 


5d. 


Adam Reid, 


November 4, 1822, 


49 y. 




3d. 


Sarah Ann Richmond, 


August 4, 1823, 


12 y. 


9 m. 


15 d. 


Jane Susanna Richmond, 


February 20, 1824, 








Jane Russell, 


September 26, 1825, 


42 y. 






Francis Gr. Ross, 


May 10, 1828, 


18 y. 


5 m. 


23 d. 


Jane Richmond, 


January 22, 1830, 


77 y. 






Margaret Riddell, 


November 22, 1832, 


22 y. 






Ephraim Russell, 


January 15, 1838, 


85 y. 






Rachel Ross, 


October 26, 1838, 


64 y. 







iy» 


APPENDIX. 










NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




John Rogers, 


May 17, 1838, 


53 y. 


11 


Ul. 


12 d, 


James Russell, 


December 2, 1842, 


66 y. 








Anna Maria Russell, 


November 22, 1843, 


23 y. 


9 


m. 




Josepli Richmond, 


December 6,' 1843, 


68 y. 








Hannah Richmond, 


August 4, 1847, 


69 y. 








Ann Ramsey, 


October 30, 1848, 


64 y. 








Jane Russell, 


April 27, 1850, 


69 y. 








Elizabeth Ramsay, 


December 27, 1851, 


75 y. 








Jane M. Richmond, 


April 4, 1853, 


45 y. 








Margaret Ramsay, 


September 22, 1855, 


58 y. 


5 


m. 




Sarah Richmond, 


May 9, 1856, 


72 y. 








Tilton Reynolds, 


June 1, 1856, 


54 y. 


6 


m. 


17 d, 


Charles Robinson, 


March 27, 1856, 


60 y. 








William Ramsey, 


May 18, 1858, 


83 y. 








James Ramsay, 


June 3, 1858, 


82 y. 








John N. Reid, 


February 4, 1860, 


9y- 








Hannah Mary Reid, 


February 6, 1860, 


2y. 








Annie Ramsay, 


April 12, 1860, 


4y. 


6 


m. 


2d. 


Alex. Lindsey Robinson, 


October 29, 1861, 


76 y. 








Robert Robinson, 


August 20, 1862, 


76 y. 








Charles Ramsay, 


March 23, 1863, 


53 y. 








Samuel Russell, 


July 19, 1863, 


84 y. 


10 


m. 


16 d. 


Jane A. Richmond, 


October 15, 1865, 


75 y. 








Rebecca H. Rogers, 


April 1, 1866, 


75 y. 


4 


m. 


28 d. 


Alice E. Richmond, 


June 20, 1866, 


40 y. 


5 


m. 


20 d. 


Robert Ramsay, 


March 23, 1867, 


58 y. 








Josie Ramsay, 


August 16, 1867, 




8 


m. 




Rebecca Ross, 


August, 1867, 


72 y. 








Jane Reid, 


May 15, 1867. 


81 y. 


8 


m. 


10 d. 


Margaret Stewart, 


September 7, 1748, 


38 y. 








Robert Sandford, 


September 7, 1765, 


90 y. 








John Scott, 


February 16, 1777, 


ny. 








Walter Stewart, 


April, 1778, 


advan( 


ced 


ag 


e. 


Thomas Sharpe, 


October 25, 1782, 


75 y. 








James Smith, 


December, 1785, 


66 y. 











APPENDIX. 






179 


NAME. 


DATE OF DEATH. 




AGE. 




Alex. Mitchel Stewart, 


June 5, 1789, 


2y- 




14 d. 


James McMechin Smith, 


1789, 




1 m. 


12 d. 


Johu Evans Smith, 


1793, 




11 m. 




William Stewart, 


August 24, 1794, 


. 3y. 






Elizabeth Stewart, 


April 14, 1797, 


24 y. 


5 m. 


18 d. 


Jane Smith, 


September 15, 1801, 


44 y. 


8 m. 


2d. 


Martha Smith, 


September 18, 1801, 


3y. 


9 m. 


13 d. 


Abraham Sides, 


December 3, 1804, 


10 y. 






Andrew Stewart, 


December 26, 1804, 


68 y. 






Thomas Scott, 


September 30, 1808, 


77 y. 






Sarah Smith, 


July 11, 1812, 


88 y. 






Agnes Stewart, 


April 6, 1814, 


68 y.- 






Rebecca Stewart, 


August 20, 1814, 


36 y. 






Sarah Scott, 


September 20, 1815, 


76 y. 






Robert J. Shoemaker, 


July 7, 1819, 


ly- 


7 m. 


26 d. 


Johu Scott, 


March 8, 1824, 


59 y. 


4 m. 


7d. 


Elizabeth Stigers, 


1825. 








John Smith, Esq., 


March 19, 1829, 


79 y. 






Sarah Stewart, 


October 28, 1829, 


57 y. 




2d. 


Sarah B. Scott, 


December 15, 1829, 


4y. 


6 m. 


lid. 


Ann Love Stewart, 


August 31, 1830, 


48 y. 






Elizabeth Shoemaker, 


November 17, 1830. 








Sarah Smith, 


January 15, 1831, 


64 y. 


11 m. 




Peter Shoemaker, 


February 18, 1832. 








Mary Stewart, 


July 3, 1832, 


54 y. 






James B. Stewart, 


November 28, 1837, 


59 y. 






Johu Sloan, 


May 10, 1840, 


80 y. 






Elizabeth Scott, 


March 4, 1841, 


67 y. 






Dr. Jonathan H. Scholfield, May 31 , 1841 , 


55 y. 






Thomas Scott Stewart, 


September 29, 1841, 


9y- 


2 m. 


23 d. 


Hannah Jane Stewart, 


September 19, 1841, 


13 y. 


2 m. 


4d. 


Mary Stewart, 


July 3, 1842, 


54 y. 






Elizabeth Shoemaker, 


August 18, 1842, 


59 y. 


6 m. 


lid- 


Margaret Sloan, 


December 28, 1843, 


66 y. 






Elizabeth Scholfield, 


January 15, 1844, 


2y. 






D. Clinton Stackhouse, 


May 22, 1844, 


28 y. 






William K. Sloan, 


July 10, 1844, 


26 y. 


10 m. 





180 



APPENDIX. 



DATE OP DEATH. 



Joseph Scott, 
George Carpenter Sloan, 
Amy Scott, 
William Schofield, 
Andrew Stewart, 
Robert Sloan, 
Sarah Ann Sloan, 
Amy Scott, 
James Schofield, 
William A. Stewart, 
Catharine Louisa Scott, 
William Stewart, 
John Shoemaker, 
Margaretta Shinn, 
Anna Schofield, 
Hannah Smith, 
James Schofield, 
Isabella Smith, 
Albert Shore, 
Eliza Ella Sloan, 
Joseph Heslep Sloan, 
Elizabeth Y. Simpson, 
Brittain Gr. Strickland, 
Enoch Stewart, 
Peter Shoemaker, 
Rebecca Scott, 
Samuel Scott Sloan, 
Joel L. Shoemaker, 
Hannah Stewart, 



April 18, 1845, 
July 20, 1845, 
September 17, 1845, 
May 17, 1848, 
December 26, 1848, 
February 24, 1851, 
March 10, 1851, 
September 9, 1852, 
October 26, 1852, 
February 28, 1853, 
August 25, 1855, 
April 14, 1855, 
January 26, 1856, 
April 23, 1856, 
July 19, 1856, 
November 20, 1856, 
December 4, 1856, 
January 26, 1857, 
March 29, 1857, 
June 2, 1858, 
June 7, 1858, 
May 26, 1860, 
August 10, 1860, 
April 7, 1861, 
August 8, 1862, 
August 13, 1862, 
May 24, 1862, 
March 25, 1863, 



7 m. 

6 m. 22 d. 
5 m. 
5 m. 



3d 



26 y. 6 m. 15 d. 

5 m. 8 d. 
19 y. 11 m. 24 d. 

8 m. 12 d. 

68 y. 

3 y. 9 m. 3d. 
1 y. 11 m. 20 d. 

69 y. 11 m. 13 d. 

13 y. 

2y. 

29 y. 
53 y. 

3y. 

74 y. 
45 y. 
91 y. 

2y. 

3y. 

25 y. 

11 y- 

77 y. 

70 y. 
90 y. 

ly- 

77 y. 



2 m. 3d. 



7 m. 



9 m. 20 d. 
8 m. 17 d. 

8 m. 3 d. 
2 m. 27 d. 

9 m. 24 d. 



5 m. 



9d. 
12 d. 



6 m. 
11 m. 13 d. 



May 3, 1864, 78 y 

Miles Stewart Strickland,* July 4, 1864, 23 y. 

James Stewart, January 26, 1865, 81 y. 10 m. 25 d. 

David Strode Shoemaker,t August 15, 1865, 29 y. 11 m. 21 d. 

* Miles Stewart Strickland was killed by a sharpshooter, while on his 
way to the picket line. He belonged to Companj^ B, OTth Reg't Penna. 
Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Guss. 

f David Strode Shoemaker, was a member of Company B, in the 5th 
Reg't Penna. Cavalry, in the War of the Rebellion. He died from dis- 
ease contracted in the army. 



APPENDIX. 



181 



NAME. 

Catharine D. Sloan, 
Thomas Stewart, 
William Stewart, 
Joseph B. Scholfield, 
Hannah Scholfield, 
Susanna Stewart, 
Mrs. Skelton, 

Skelton, 

David Scott, 
John Grant Shoemaker, 
Maria Scholfield, 
Annetta E. Scholfield, 
Ella B. Scholfield, 



DATE OP DEATH. 



December 7, 1865, 
May 24, 1865, 
August 24, 1866, 
November 7, 1866, 
November 15, 1866, 
May 27, 1867, 
May, 1868. 
September, 1868, 
November 12, 1868, 
no date. 

Children of Joseph 
■ B. and Martha 
Scholfield. 



53 y. 7 m. 3 d. 
80 y. 9 m. 10 d. 
74 y. 
55 y. 10 m. 6 d. 

77 y. 
67 y. 



89 y. 



4 m. 

10 m. 25 d. 
7 m. 



James Taylor, 
Charles Thompson, 
Sarah W. Thompson, 
John Tarrence, 
Dr. John Tate, 
Eleanor Tate, 
Sarah W. Thompson, 
Sarah Tarrence, 
Joseph Tarrence, 
Margaret Thompson, 
Mary Louisa Toland, 
Isaac D. Tarrence, 
James Parke Turner, 

George Wilken, 
Margaret Wiley, 
William Wilken, 
Mary Wilken, 
Eleanor Wilken, 
John Wilken, 
Elizabeth Wiley, 
Eleanor Wilken, 
Jennet Wilken, 



May 15, 1802, 1 y. 

February 3, 1809, 13 y. 

March 19, 1814, 29 y. 

February 7, 1821, 24 y. 

March 28, 1821, 62 y. 

November 12, 1825, 73 y. 

May 27, 1843, 29 y. 

January 31, 1846, 51 y. 

March 20, 1847, 49 y. 

August 10, 1853, 74 y. 

June 22, 1858, 2 y. 

November 14, 1860, GG y. 

March 5, 1862, 1 y. 

June 21, 1764, 64 y. 

April 19, 1772, 32 y. 
February 5, 1781, 

April 29, 1782, 4 y. 

August 20, 1782, 17 y. 

April 13, 1788, 44 y. 

August 9, 1794, 49 y. 

March 23, 1791, 87 y. 

March 10, 1796, 3 y. 



3 m. 3d. 
9 m. 25 d. 
2 m. 8 d. 
8 m. 21 d. 



2 m. 

3 m. 



8d. 
3d. 



5 m. 25 d. 
3 m. 15 d. 

7 m. 7 d. 
5 m. 



11 m. 24 d. 



8 m. 



2 m. 



182 



APPENDIX. 



Greorge Wilkea, 

William Wells, 

Thomas Wallace, 

John Wallace, 

William Wilkin, 

John Wiley, 

Isaac Wentz, 

Jane Wallace, 

John Wallace, 

Eliza Wigton, 

Charles Wentz, 

Infant daughter of John 

H. and Rebecca Wallace, September 9, 1830, 



DATE OF DEATH. 

September 27, 1805, 
September 16, 1806, 
October 26, 1806, 
March 2, 1802, 
November 4, 1804, 
December 25, 1815, 
August 3, 1816, 
January 8, 1821, 
September 21, 1825, 
October 17, 1826, 
December 31, 1827, 



Jennet Withrow, 
Rebecca Wallace, 
Mary Wentz, 
Samuel R. Werntz, 
Alice Wells, 
Elizabeth Wright, 
Margaret Wallace, 
Mary Jane Wentz, 
Susanna R. Wentz, 
Sarah B. Wentz, 
John Wright, Sr., 
John Withrow, 



December 29, 1830, 
November 9, 1830, 
April 21, 1830, 
May 30, 1833, 
July 26, 1831, 
July 7, 1836, 
January 28, 1836, 
July 3, 1837, 
July 3, 1837, 
November 18, 1838, 
December 2, 1839, 
October, 1840, 



Joseph Hamilton Wiley, September 28, 1842, 

Margaret Wiley, 

Wm. Henry Wright, 

Edward S. Wiley, 

Emma Wiley, 

Mary Jane Watts, 

Sarah Jane Wiley, 

Kezia Withrow, 

William J. Withrow, 

Mary Ann Withrow, 

Anna M. Wiley, 

Louisa M. Wiley, 



November 20, 1842, 
February 22, 1843, 
September 23, 1843, 
September 25, 1843, 
August 22, 1844, 
October 20, 1844, 
November 18, 1846, 
December 12, 1846, 
December 25, 1846, 
July 13, 1847, 
July 30, 1848, 



28 y. 
38 y. 

29 y. 

64 y. 
77 y. 
45 y. 
84 y. 
70 y. 
22 y. 
ly- 



64 y. 
23 y. 

58 y. 
29 y. 
68 y. 

58 y. 
71 y. 

9y- 
4y. 

8y- 

59 y. 

80 y. 

5y- 
5y- 
2y- 
9y. 
^j- 

5y- 

47 y. 

7y. 

18 y. 

ly- 
5y. 



AGE. 

3 m. 19 d. 
7 m. 9 d. 

6 m. 

7 m. 9 d. 

4 m. 13 d. 

4 m. 12 d. 

5 m. 5 d. 

7 m. 

4 m. 17 d. 

8 m. 16 d. 

6 m. 17 d. 

9 m. 23 d. 
10 m. 18 d. 

1 m. 16 d. 

1 m. 17 d. 

6 m. 23 d. 

7 m. 

9 m. 15 d. 



4 m. 11 d. 
3 m. 20 d. 

2 m. 25 d. 

7 m. 6 d. 
9 m. 8 d. 

3 m. 



2 m. 10 d. 
1 m. 15 d. 



APPENDIX. 



183 



^'Vallace, 

Withrow, 
. itlirow, 

Withrow, 

le Williams, 
;i Withrow, 

Williams, 
Ml Werutz, 
ier Wiley, 

AVhiteside, 
W. Wright, 
, Z. Walker, 
3. Wilson, 
' F. Wells, 

■ hiteside, 

Walton, 
-t W^right, 
' it AVhiteside, 
h D. AVhiteside, 
AVallace, 
right, 
Wiley, 
' AVright. 

■ right. 
Vright. 
Wilson, 



DATE OF HEATH. 

July 16, 1850, 
June 22, 1851, 
February 12, 1851, 
May 27, 1852, 
September 22, 1851, 
January 13, 1852, 
July 30, 1852, 
May 31, 1853, 
April G, 1854, 
January 28, 1855, 
December 9, 1858, 
March 17, 1858, 
February 6, 1860, 
May 12, 1860, 
October 2, 1861, 
April 10, 1863, 
June 16, 1868, 
December, 1868, 
July 30, 1869, 
December 13, 1869, 
March 29, 1870, 
October 5, 1870, 
no date. 



AGE. 

2 y. 4 m. 8 d. 
48 y. 

66 y. 6 m. 12 d. 
60 y. 

24 y. 29 d. 
29 y. 

83 y. 
60 y. 
48 y. 

1 y. 3 m. 26 d. 
60 y. 

10 m. 17 d. 
22 y. 3 m. 6 d, 
27 y. 
62 y. 
59 y. 
58 y. 11 m. 10 d. 

25 y. 
41 y. 

39 y. 

77 y. 11 m. 

40 y. 10 m. 15 d. 

4y- 



October 25, 1870, 44 y. 2 m. 5 d. 



Andrew Young, September 24, 1843, 8 m. 26 d. 

arke Young, ' September 4. 1854, 10 y. 5 m. 24 d. 

oung, August 17, 1861, 1 m. 28 d. 

-: Young, February 10, 1862, 52 y. 9 m. 12 d. 

am Kcndig died June 4, 1864, aged 32 years, from -wounds re- 
n battle and was buried in the hospital bnrying-ground at 
1, Virginia. He belonged to the 97th Reg't Pcnna. Volunteers, 
ded by Colonel Guss. 

1 Heslep Kendig died June 18, 1864, aged 22 years. He fell in 
efore Petersburg, and rests in a soldier's grave on the buttle 
ie belonged to the 21st Penna. Ca^^alry, commanded by Col. Boyd. 



^9 



184 



APPENDIX, 



SURNAMES OF FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS COM- 
POSING THE UPPER OCTORARA CONGREGA- 
TION, 1870. 



Armstrong, 


Finney, 


Lewis, 


Ramsay, 


Ash, 


Fornwalt, 


MacGregor, 


Rawlins, 


Andes, 


Frame, 


McPherson, 


Rankin, 


Boyd, 


Futhey, 


McClellan, 


Reid, 


Boggs, 


Gibson, 


McAlister, 


Richmond, 


Bent, 


Gayley, 


McCaughey, 


Ross, 


Best, 


Guthrie, 


McNaught, 


Stewart, 


Bair, 


Graham, 


McMichael, 


Sloan, 


Benson, 


Grossman, 


McAlonan, 


Scott, 


Blackburn, 


Gable, 


Maitlaud, 


Smith, 


Bonnar, 


Hope, 


Matlack, 


Shoemaker, 


Brandt, 


Hoofman, 


Marsh, 


Shirk, 


Boyle, 


/ Holmes, 


Marshall 


Strode, 


Bunting, 


Hershberger, 


Marple, 


Stroud, 


Brook, 


Harley, 


Mackey, 


Simpson, 


Blankeubeler, 


Houston, 


Martin, 


Scholfield, 


Cowan, 


Hawks, 


Middletou, 


Skiles, 


Clarke, 


Hudson, 


Miller, 


Taggart, 


Carlile, 


Hiukson, 


Moore, 


Thompson, 


Chalfant, 


Himmens, 


Morris, 


Todd, 


Chapman, 


Irwin, 


Murphey, 


Torbert, 


Curry, 


Ihler, 


Mewes, 


Turner, 


Cook, 


Jones, 


Orr, 


Vandersaal, 


Crawford, 


Johnson, 


Otty, 


Varnes, 


Davis, 


Jack, 


Owens, 


Valentine, 


Dain, 


Jackson, 


Parke, 


Wallace, 


Dean, 


Jamison, 


Parks, 


Walker, 


Dougal, 


Kendig, 


Parker, 


Whiteside, 


Duncan, 


Kyle, 


Paxson, 


Wiley, 


Delaine, 


Keller, 


Pomeroy, • 


Wilson, 


Drake, 


Key, 


Potter, 


Williams, 


Emerson, 


Keats, 


Patrick, 


Wike, 


Ferguson, 


Long, 


Powers, 


W orr est, 


Fielis, 


Latta, 


Pearl, 


Yearsley, 


Filson, 


Lincoln, 


Pyle, 


Young. 


Ferree, 


Linn, 


Phillips, 





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